Reflections of Hope
by mionejaina561
Summary: Crossover between CSI:NY and NCIS. Both teams of NCIS and the NYPD crime lab have one thing in common, Melanie Fischer. A woman whose own team is being targeted by someone who knows that she is connected to both Washington DC and New York City. Flack/OC
1. Death of an NCIS agent

Reflections of Hope: Crossover between CSI:NY and NCIS. Both teams of NCIS and the NYPD crime lab have one thing in common, Melanie Fischer. A woman whose own team is being targeted by someone who knows that she is connected to both Washington DC and New York City. Can both teams with the help of Melanie stop this person before either team loses one of their own?

Now I do not own any of the characters from CSI:NY or NCIS. However Melanie Fischer is of my own creation and I hope you learn to love her too. Her background with all the characters will be explained in later chapters. I also think that this installment is one of many with Special Agent Melanie Fischer.

Death of an NCIS agent

New York City

Melanie Fischer smiled as she left the only place she has considered home. It was nice to finally be back in the city, with her lifelong friends and of course the love of her life. Before she shut the door to his, no wait their apartment, she turned around.

"You know I love you right?" Don Flack said, as he smiled, adjusting the tie Mel has just fixed.

Melanie kept on smiling as Don smiled right back. "If I didn't know that, I would have gone straight back to DC and not here." She rolled her eyes, and shut the door she opened slightly to go kiss him again. " I love you too. Now both of us need to get going or both of our asses are gonna get fired."

He moved to encircle the red head in his arms. "What if I don't want to? I haven't seen you in three months and then you come and tell me you're pregnant? And then you have to fly off to DC?" She looked up at him and smiled.

"You knew what you were getting into when I left the city to go to Baltimore. Not my fault that my partner wanted to join NCIS." He mock glared at her. "Ok maybe it was but it was something I wanted to do. Now being undercover in foreign countries and pregnant, that's a different story. I had to come back, not just for my sanity but for our child's safety."

She pulled him tighter. "Then why do you have to go to DC so quickly? Is being pregnant the only reason why you got pulled from you're undercover assignment?" Melanie looked up at him, eyebrows raised. "I mean, does Vance even know you're pregnant? Considering you just told me yesterday, out of the blue, while I didn't know if you were coming back?"

Mel pulled away slightly from Don and sighed. "No, Vance does not know. Yet. I have no idea why he pulled me off of my assignment this early. Being pregnant might have had an advantage in this case."

He pulled his arms away and stood in front of her with his arms crossed. She sighed again. "I'm sorry I left the way I did. You almost died and Sam didn't even tell me. Yet again Mac didn't either. When I found out, I realized I needed to come back but couldn't bail out on my team. Then I found leads here in the US, I sent them instead of me. It was right after that the director called and I got pulled."

Don's stance softened and his hands dropped. He let out an exasperated sigh. " Ok, I understand. Go to the director and ask for a transfer here to the New York City NCIS office. That's all I ask."

Before she could answer, his cell phone rang. "Flack." He listened intently and frowned. "Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can, Mac." He hung up and looked apologetically at Melanie.

"It's ok. I need to get going to catch my flight anyhow." He reached forward and hugged her tightly, resting his face in her hair. He let go and opened the door for her and her one piece of luggage to head out.

"I love you." He said as he shut the door. Don and Melanie headed the elevator and got in right away. Don pressed the ground floor button and waited as the elevator took them both down to the entrance of his building. He kissed Mel quickly, and headed toward where his car is. The next sound made him turn around and smile.

"I love you too, Don. I'll come back this time I promise." She smiled as she headed out to the street to catch a cab to La Guardia. Don stood there, reveling in the moment. His cell phone soon interrupted that moment.

"Flack."

"It's Mac, I think you need to hurry up to this crime scene."

"Seriously, Mac do you have a life? You got there way too fast."

"Flack… usually you're here by now. What's up?"

"Had an unexpected visitor last night. Didn't exactly want to leave right away." He heard Mac laugh slightly. "Mac, the crime scene is only a few blocks away, I'll explain when I get there, alright?"

"Fine, Don. See you well now." Don hung the phone as he headed to the yellow tape in a building a few blocks down from his. He ducked under and saw Mac Taylor and Danny Mezzer standing over a body. As he got closer, he recognized the face. Mac realized he was standing there and moved to show the dead body.

Don took a sharp breath. " Is that…"

Mac nodded as he handed him the badge and identification that went with the body. "Andrew Stanley, NCIS."

Danny looked curiously at the two. "NCIS? Does he have anything to do with…"

Don cut him off. "Andrew was part of Melanie's undercover team. He was sent here on a lead on the suspicion of a new terrorist cell." Mac, Don and Danny looked down at the dead agent. Don leaned down and whispered to him. "Please tell me that Mel isn't in danger."

Mac stooped next to Don. "I take it your unexpected visitor was Melanie." He nodded. "And I take it that finding him is not good."

Don stood and sighed. "We've got a few calls to make, Mac and the first one being to the director of NCIS. He's gonna to need to know about this." He looked at Mac, who looked puzzled. "Which means I think I know why Mel was pulled out and that means we could all be in danger."

XXXXXXX

Let me know what you think!


	2. Return to Washington

**Now for those of you not familiar with NCIS. I'm a huge fan of both shows, but i figured Flack needed someone whom he has waited for. So Gibbs is the team leader, Tony is senior field agent, Ziva is Israeli Mossad officer, McGee is junior field agent with mad computer skills, Abby is their lab tech that basically does all of what Mac's team does, and Ducky is the chief medical examiner. If you need more answers just let me know.**

Return to Washington

1 hour later: Washington DC

Anthony Dinozzo was sitting at his desk, buried in paperwork from previous cases he never seemed to get done. He looked up and saw Ziva David, his partner buried in just as much paperwork. He smiled, knowing that her recent trip to Tel Aviv landed in a painful breakup and since then Ziva didn't seem like herself. He was about to say something to aggravate Ziva when he saw a very familiar red head, blue eyed woman coming out of the elevator.

He slammed his chair back, scaring Ziva and Timothy McGee, who was sitting at his desk doing something on his computer. He ran toward Melanie Fischer and scooped up his old partner and hugged her tightly.

"Damn, Tony. You're certainly happy to see me." Mel said, as she saw two NCIS agents she didn't know standing behind Tony, arms crossed and puzzled looks on their faces. Tony let her go and was about to introduce her to these newbies when a whirl of black hair and goth clothes attacked her almost in the same manner as Tony did.

"Hi Abby. I'm happy to see you too." Melanie said, squished in Abby Scuito's enormous hug. "But I think these two would like to know why you two are so happy to see me."

Just as Abby let her go, she heard an all too familiar voice. "I think I can explain that Fischer." She turned and saw Leroy Jethro Gibbs, in all his gray haired glory standing there with his arms open for a hug from his other surrogate daughter. Melanie stepped forward and hugged her mentor and surrogate father. Gibbs let her go and turned her around to introduce her to the rest of the team.

"Ziva, McGee, this is Special Agent Melanie Fischer." Melanie stepped forward and offered the other man standing there a hug of her own. He hesitated then allowed it.

"It's nice to finally meet you McGee. These three have told me a bunch about you and you're marvelous computer skills." Tim smiled hugely. She then turned the woman, who looked like she had been through a terrible breakup.

Before hugging her, she smiled and held out her hand. "I take it that you're Ziva David. The Israeli Mossad liason right?" She looked strangely at Melanie. "Again may I remind you that I have known Abby and Gibbs for 8 years and Tony longer. They talk constantly about you and your assassin abilities. I've heard I could possibly give you a run for your money."

It was the last comment that softened Ziva up and Melanie went to hug her. Ziva pulled back. "It's finally nice to meet this Melanie Tony talks about."

Gibbs smiled and waved everyone toward the bullpen. "So Fischer I take it this isn't a courtesy visit to let us see you for the first time in 5 years. What's going on?"

Melanie sighed and sat on the only clean desk in their area. "I got pulled Gibbs. No idea why, I was just told to come home. After that I took a detour to New York and then came here." Gibbs crossed his arms, telling her to go on when Donald Mallard appeared in the bullpen.

"I heard a rumor that a beautiful young red head had returned and I had to see this myself." Ducky smiled as Melanie hopped off the desk to hug him. As he stepped back, his medical senses kicked in. "Something else is going on."

Mel looked around at everyone, two people she just met and the rest, people she has known for years. "Well I'm pregnant."

She waited for their reactions. The first was Abby, who squealed excitedly. "Yes! That means I get to be Auntie Abby. To someone that isn't as weird as my niece but a cool one!"

"I sensed it Melanie. Congratulations." Ducky hugged her again as Tony let out a breath that he apparently had been holding.

"Don's the father isn't he? That's why you stopped in New York. To tell him?" As soon as he said that, Ziva turned to Tony quickly, looking slightly mad.

"Can you not be happy for her Dinozzo?" Ziva said, harshly.

Tony looked up and smiled apologetically at Melanie. "Look I'm sorry. I am happy for you. I really am. I'm just…"

"Agent Fischer!" A booming voice came from above stopping everyone. She looked up and saw Director Leon Vance. Almost immediately, Melanie grabbed her purse and headed up the stairs.

"Coming Director. Just stopping by to say hi to some old friends." Vance shook his head.

"The rest of you might as well come up too. This involves you all." The team looked quizzically at each other.

Melanie was the first one on the stairs, and looked at the other part of her family. They started to follow her and stopped when they saw Vance outside of MTAC. He opened the door and waved all of them in.

The face on the big screen was very familiar to Melanie. She sighed because the person behind him was Don. She knew something was wrong. Very wrong.

Vance looked around and nodded for Detective Mac Taylor to start.

"Melanie, right after you left this morning, Special Agent Andrew Stanley was found dead a few blocks from your and Don's place."

Melanie felt the world slow around her as Mac said the words she dreaded to ever hear. One of her team was dead. She felt the pregnancy hormones take over as the tears welled up in her eyes and she felt a hand on her shoulder as she turned around into the person next to her and cried.

Tony held her and looked up at one of his best friends on the screen. The way Don looked meant there was more than what Mac just said. He held his former partner as he waited for what else the NY detective had to say.

"There's something else you want to tell us Detective Taylor. Go ahead." Gibbs said, also knowing that Stanley being dead wasn't the only reason Vance wanted his entire team up here.

"The bullet that killed Stanley was a government issued nine millimeter. We think that Stanley was found out because there is a leak within your agency."

**Now this is linking back to NCIS season 6 premiere. I will refer back to this and earlier events in Season 4 and 5 as time goes on. The time frame on this happens somewhere late Season 5 in CSI:NY, and late Season 6 of NCIS.**


	3. It's off to New York

**Short chapter. Oh and my character pairing are Mac/Stella, Flack/OC, DL, Tiva(Tony and Ziva), McAbby(McGee and Abby) and Sheldon/OC. **

It's off to New York

The silence in MTAC was unknown to that specific room. Vance stood there with his arms crossed, waiting for someone or something to happen. His suspicions a few months back were correct and getting Agent Fischer out of where she was just happened to be a pretty good and safe idea.

When no one spoke, except for the quiet cries of Melanie, Vance spoke. "Because of this, we must treat this especially careful with who we tell about this case. I know I can trust each and every one of you in this room and that is why I asked even you Ms. Scuito and Dr. Mallard here." He turned to Gibbs. "Agent Gibbs, gather your gear, you and your team along with Agent Fischer will be on the next flight out to New York. There Agent, you will be working the Detective Taylor's crime lab and Detective Flack. Abby, Dr. Mallard, since we do not know yet who we can trust, I am sending you with them."

Gibbs nodded as Abby and Ducky headed out to pack what they might need. Right before they exited Mac spoke up. "It will great to meet all of you for the first time, except for Agent Gibbs and Agent Dinozzo since we already have a history. Melanie talks great lengths about you and working together will be good for both teams. We will see you in due time. Mac walked away as everyone quietly left Tony, Mel and Don in MTAC.

Mel was now sitting down in the theater style seats, her eyes red from crying and staring at Don on the screen.

"So Andrew was the call you got before I left wasn't it?" Don nodded. "Funny thing is…is that he contacted me right before I left Italy. A day before. Don, does Sid have a time of death?"

"5am. He wasn't there more than 3 hours when Mac arrived. I saw him and realized exactly why Vance pulled you. I'm also extremely happy that Tony and the rest of the team are coming. That means you'll be protected at all costs." Mel was about to retort when Don cut her off. "You're pregnant. With my child. I will not let anything happen to you."

She sat back, defeated. Now with everyone knowing she was pregnant, she might not get anywhere with the lead Andrew told her right before she got pulled.

"No worries, Don. I think that who ever wants to hurt Mel here will not only have to answer to you but Gibbs too. Truthfully buddy I'd be more afraid of Gibbs than you." Tony said, causing his two best friends to laugh.

"We better get going Don. Gibbs will still smack me, pregnant or not." Mel replied, blowing a kiss then killing the signal. She looked at Tony, who looked sheepish. "Tony, I know what you're thinking. Don't feel bad. I only found out a few weeks ago. I still need a full check up and such. You and everyone else will know first thing if anything happens ok?"

"I feel bad because I talked to you more than you talked to Don. I always wondered what happened that you didn't talk to him. I thought maybe you would tell me before him. I guess now, I know why." He said, holding out his arm for her. She took it gratefully.

"Sometimes Tony I wonder why I even tell you things. What makes me think you don't go around blabbing it back to your team? I mean you still live in your glory days." She said as they made their way downstairs. "At least one of us grew up."

Tony laughed as he caught a very evil glare from his partner, the partner that he cared deeply for but couldn't show it. "Hey you know, even though you shared your feelings about me when we were partners why can't you with her? She really that deadly?" Melanie whispered as they neared the bullpen.

"Shush. We're nothing more than partners."

"Bull shit Tony. I've known you for too long not to notice how attracted you are to each other. She cares about you too Tony. Find out what went wrong with whoever she was dating and fix it. Forget Gibbs' rules, he and Abby have broken them before."

Before they could continue their conversation, Mel and Tony felt very familiar smacks on the back of their heads. "Good thing to know you wouldn't treat me any differently cuz I'm pregnant Gibbs." Melanie said, rubbing the back of her head that hadn't known that slap for over five years.

"Don't you know what get ready and go means?" Gibbs replied handing her the luggage she brought with her. "Now are you ready to go?"

He looked sternly at everyone around him. He knew that this word of a leak disturbed them all and he knew going to New York was a danger in and of itself. Now he could only hope he could protect not only his team, but his surrogate daughter who just happened to be carrying another innocent life.

xxxxxx

**Yes I know short chapter.**

**One up soon. Next chapter goes back in time.**


	4. Memories

**This chapter goes back three months to where Melanie finds out why she has to go to New York. And this takes place a couple hours after Judgment Day in Season 5 finale of NCIS. and if you are fans of it, it takes on the reactions of Gibbs and Tony.**

**Another aeroplane  
Another sunny place  
I'm lucky, I know  
But I wanna go home  
Mmmm, I've got to go home**

Let me go home  
I'm just too far from where you are  
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I'm living someone else's life  
It's like I just stepped outside  
When everything was going right  
And I know just why you could not  
Come along with me  
'Cause this was not your dream  
But you always believed in me

**Home~ Michael Bubble  
**

Memories

The flight to New York was quiet as the team had their thoughts full of what the case might bring. Melanie sat with a hand over her stomach. She knew that she needed to get to a doctor for confirmation and find out exactly how far along that she was. She also knew trying to get a break from the team was going to be a challenge and they would all be watching her like a hawk. She was happy that she would be home with Don. One thing she had missed was waking up next to him and feeling his arms around her. They both led busy lives but were still able to meet in the middle to stabilize their relationship. For once she was determined to make it right.

_Three months earlier…_

_Mel sat at her desk in her rented apartment in Milan, Italy looking carefully at the paperwork in front of her. The television was on in the background, nothing more than bombings and shootings around the world so she didn't pay much attention to it. She was looking for another lead in her case in a new terrorist cell forming out of this very city. Usually the Italian mafia kept to themselves, but when the Russian threatened one of their own, the Italians retaliated, Big time. This time it involved several innocent Americans and an Al Qaeda terrorist who was so elusive no one could ever get close. _

_"Today Director of NCIS, Jennifer Shepard's house was found burning and she was suspected to have died in the fire. The entire agency is mourning her death and Deputy Director Leon Vance has been named the new director." Melanie's head shot up after hearing this particular news story and as soon as it was over her cell phone rang._

_She looked down and realized it was Tony. "Hey, you calling to tell me the real truth on how Jenny died?"_

_She heard a huge sad sigh on the end. "I guess but I need to tell you something else."_

_"Spill Dinozzo. I haven't heard you this distraught since the entire fiasco with Jeanne."_

_"Vance split up the team. I'm being reassigned to be Agent Afloat on the USS Ronald Reagan, Ziva's liason terminated and McGee is working with the cybercrime dorks. What a treat. The only reason he's doing this is because I screwed up. Screwed up big time" _

_Mel put down the papers on the mafia leaders and sat back in her chair. She had a feeling that Jenny's death wasn't what it seemed like. Now her case here was up in the air. With more and more Navy and Marine officers dying because of these two crime mobs fighting and with Al Qaeda involved, she was afraid Vance didn't know anything about what she and her team had been doing for the past four years. _

_"Tony, tell me what happened! With Vance being director, this case might be given to someone else. And isn't Gibbs fighting this? I mean your team has been together for years. He wouldn't just give Vance that leg room. Plus I know how he hates training newbies. Remember?" _

_She heard a slight laugh on the other end. "Oh yes I do. That's when the Gibbs' slaps began, with us." He sighed "Jenny was killed five days ago in California, shot in a shoot out with old Russian friends. She ditched us to follow this and died instead. Ziva and I were supposed to be there. She wasn't supposed to die like that."_

_Melanie felt sorry for her dear friend. She knew how close he was to the former director and that he was her protection detail, it must be eating him up inside. She however knew exactly why Jenny did what she did. _

_"Tony, hon, Jenny was ill, very ill in fact. She was given only a few weeks to live right before that. She gave me the heads up that a new director was on the horizon. What happened is not your fault. She went the way she wanted to. She went down with a fight." She heard a knock at her door and looked down at her laptop camera to see who it was. It was two members of her team, Andrew Stanley and his partner Cassandra O'Mara. _

_"I hear you have company. Look this may be the last time we talk for awhile. I miss you and be safe. Come home soon." She heard Tony say on the other line. She buzzed them in and waved to them to sit down._

_"I'll try Tony. I miss America. Europe may be nice but its nothing compared to the US. Be safe too. Try not to kill yourself on your boat. Keep in touch ok?" _

_"Take care of yourself, Mel. And go back to New York soon. I know Don is dying to see you. Bye partner." He said, as the click on the other line noted that he hung up. _

_"Bye." She replied softly, as she placed the phone back on top of her messy desk. She looked at her team. "What's up's guys? Any new leads?"_

_Andrew sat forward, placing his elbows on his knees. "Turns out our terrorist might be heading to the United States." _

_Melanie's eyebrow shot up. "Where exactly do you think he is heading?"_

_"We think he might be hooking up with the Italian New York mob." Cassie said, leaning back rubbing her temples. "Another source says he might be heading to Los Angeles or even Miami. Either one of those with a really good passport would be easy to fit in."_

_"Well looks like we might have to follow up on these leads. Anyone have a preference?" Melanie asked, standing up and stretching her way too tired muscles. Her third team member, Jason Caiman, was in Iraq, following up with Marine troops on several bombings and shootings that they thought this certain terrorist was involved with. _

_Before anyone could answer, her cell phone rang again. She looked at it and saw it was Gibbs. She mouthed to the others it was Gibbs and answered it. _

_"So are you gonna tell me why you let Vance split up your team?" she answered, when she heard an aggravated groan on the other end line. _

_"Guess you talked to Dinozzo already. He ships out in a few hours. Ziva's already on a flight to Israel and Abby is here crying her heart out. I can't even touch her right now." He sighed, as she heard some tools in the background. _

_"Why haven't you fought it Gibbs? You know how much you hate probies. But then look at how Dinozzo and I turned out." She still heard tools so she knew he was working on the infamous boat in his basement. "Look, Gibbs, I know how much Jenny meant to you. And I know that Vance is nothing like her. He probably won't let us get away with the crap that Jenny let us. You can't do anything about it can you?" _

_"No Fischer I can't. There is something else going on that I don't know about. My new team is so… unorganized. Agent Langer, Agent Lee and another inexperienced computer geek, Keating. Totally stupid and a group of idiots. I think they might make me miss Dinozzo." _

_"We all miss Dinozzo in some weird way, Gibbs. He tends to grow on you. Listen I might have to go back to the States soon. Will you be up for a visit?" She asked, starting to pace. She was getting more and more afraid that this case might go somewhere she didn't want to go._

_"I think Fischer if you came back to the States, you should go visit someone else. Someone who probably is wondering if you'd ever come back. You know he loves you and is holding out just for you." Gibbs said, gulping down what was probably whiskey or scotch._

_"Are you really telling me how to love? And this is coming from the person who has been divorced three times?" she scoffed, stopping and putting her forehead against the stone cold wall. _

_"Listen, I may not be the best person to give you advice but when was the last time I was wrong about this stuff?" Gibbs replied, as she imagined him leaning inside his boat. _

_Melanie sighed, knowing deep down inside that he was right. "I guess Gibbs. Look I've got to go. We're trying to figure out things here. I'll call you later and I promise I'll call Abby." She said as she hung up the phone, making a decision of where she should go._

_"Well guys, looks like I'm going to New York after all." _

_xxxx_

**just realized that my timeline for at least NCIS might be off, but heck its my own fanfiction. so I include some things from the new season here and there but this is my version of both seasons. **

**REVIEW!  
**


	5. Just gotta love New York

**:)**

Just gotta love New York

Melanie felt a strong hand on her arm and shook out of her reverie. She turned to the person next to her and smiled slightly.

"Guess you took my advice after all." Gibbs said, softly.

"Yeah I guess I did. But when I left then, I left in a hurry and never got to tie lose ends up." Melanie replied, leaning against the headrest. "But now, Gibbs I think I might have it right. I thought that I wouldn't be able to commit to someone in this job, but now being pregnant and all. It just gives me a totally different perspective."

"Don just never understood how much you wanted to explore the world. You got to do that. Now you need to settle down and start a family. Hell I think even Dinozzo knows that one. I think a kid would change his life too." Gibbs said, softly, looking back at Tony and Ziva staring out their respective windows.

"I know Gibbs but with this guy out there and the leak how am I supposed to protect the ones I love and not hurt myself in the process?" she asked, replacing her hand over her still flat stomach.

"Let us worry about protecting you. We can take care of ourselves." Gibbs replied as he looked at the screen telling them they were about to land in New York. Melanie looked outside the window and saw the city in the distance.

She really did miss her hometown. No other place in the world could compare to the hustle and bustle of New York City.

"One question before we land and get started on this case. Where is the rest of your team?" Gibbs asked, causing Mel's head to turn abruptly to him.

"Well, I know that Cassie was following up on the source in Los Angeles and Jason was down in Miami and about to head up towards Orlando when I last checked in on this." Her eyes glazed over slightly as she tried to remember when both of them tried to contact her. She realized it was almost due time for them to do so but she has yet to heard from them. "Gibbs, I haven't heard from them in 5 days. What if something has happened to them? I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to the rest of my team."

"Look, try to contact them with the code to break cover as soon as we land. We'll know then if the leak is for real." Gibbs replied, as the plane landed. The rest of the team shook out of their silence and started gathering their stuff. Mel stood up and almost doubled over. Tony rushed over and held her as she breathed deeply.

She waved him off. "Just a bout of morning sickness. Oh the wonders of pregnancy." She said, standing up shakily. Tony helped her off the plane and looked around.

She breathed in the air that was New York and got into the company car Mac and Don sent. As she sat in the back, Tony and Ziva argued who should drive. Gibbs finally gave up and took the keys from them.

"I'm driving." He said, bluntly as Ducky and Abby climbed in the rear seat behind her. Tony sighed as him and McGee squished in the back with her in the middle. Ziva and Gibbs climbed in the front and they were off. As soon as they entered the city, they got stuck in New York City traffic.

"Gotta love New York boss. The air, the people and of the course the traffic." Tony said happily in the back seat.

Mel leaned forward. "Boss, turn left here. That's the best way to get to the lab." She said, pointing to the street. "Plus there's a little less traffic."

"Gibbs if you want I can slap Tony!" Abby said from the rear seat. Gibbs smiled and swerved onto the next street causing the entire car to grip each other.

"I totally forgot about Gibbs' driving." Melanie said, through gritted teeth.

"If you think Gibbs is bad, you should drive with Ziva sometime. Then you will really fear for your life." Tony said in her ear.

"I heard that Dinozzo. My driving is not that bad." Ziva said, turning around.

"Actually it is, Ziva." McGee replied, getting him a slap from Abby. "Hey it's true."

Melanie laughed as she recognized the tall, gorgeous building that held the New York crime lab. As they parked, she recognized two people standing by the elevator in the parking garage. She pushed Tony out of the car so she could go hug another two of her favorite people, Stella Bonasera and Lindsay Monroe, both of the NY crime lab and on Mac's team. She engulfed both of them in huge hugs as the rest of the team followed with their gear.

"It's so good to see the both of you. I also heard you've been keeping Don out of trouble with Danny." Melanie said, as the team waited for introductions.

"You know how difficult that is, with two New York boys together." Lindsay said, putting an arm around Melanie's shoulder.

Melanie laughed as she waved Abby forward first. "Stella Bonasera, this is Abby Scuito. She is our lab tech at the Washington Naval Yard. She does the work of all your team combined. Abby, this is Stella she is the firearms expert here at the crime lab. She loves guns almost as much as you do." Stella reached out to shake Abby's hand when she engulfed the older woman in a hug. "Abby, this is Lindsay Monroe, also of Mac's team. She does everything and doesn't mind getting dirty. Lindsay this is Abby."

Abby hugged Lindsay just like she did with Stella. Melanie laughed. "She's like that with everyone." Abby smiled hugely as Tim McGee stepped forward. "This is Special Agent Timothy McGee, resident computer genius." He shook both of the women's hand and stepped toward the elevator.

Next forward was Ziva. "I'm Officer Ziva David of Mossad. Nice to meet you both." She shook Stella and Lindsay's hands and joined McGee by the elevator. Ducky came forward next and gently kissed both of their hands.

"I'm Dr. Donald Mallard, Chief Medical Examiner at NCIS. But please call me Ducky." Stella smiled with Lindsay.

"It will be a pleasure working with you Ducky." Lindsay said, as he too took his place near the elevator. Melanie nodded to the two left standing, Gibbs and Tony.

Gibbs stepped forward and placed a kiss on Stella's cheek. "It's good to see you again Stella. You still taking care of Mac?" he said, as he shook Lindsay's hand.

"Of course, Jethro. If you can't you know I can." Stella replied, patting his back. She turned around to Tony. " You know, I did miss you Tony, its been way too long."

Tony stepped forward and hugged his friend. "Good to see you too Stel." He stepped forward and pressed the up button on the elevator. "You three coming?"

"I think, Tony, that we'll take the next one up." Lindsay said, winking at him. He smiled, shaking his head.

"Just look for Mac on the floor. He should be there to greet you guys. Just tell him we'll be right up." Stella said, putting her arm around Melanie's shoulder, just as the elevators doors closed. She then turned around and looked straight at her. "And you have something you need to tell us."

Mel rolled her eyes, knowing that Don wouldn't be able to hold their news back. "Yes, Stell, I'm pregnant and yes Don is the father. Happy?" she said, pressing the button to the check point on the ground floor.

"I know I'm not." Lindsay said, smiling. "You don't tell us girls at all?"

"Hey, I just told Don yesterday. He was the first person I told. I figured I owed him that much." She said, holding her hands up in defense. She knew that these two missed her terribly and felt a little hurt she didn't keep in touch. She softened a little. "Look this is just as hard on me as it is on you two. I'm trying to put my head around the fact that I have another life living inside of me."

As they got into the elevator, Melanie sighed. She knew that Mac, Danny, Hawkes and Sid would have the same reaction. Maybe she should have come back sooner rather than later.

"Look, Melanie, he's been pining ever since you left. It's been hard for him to concentrate sometimes. He's been working too many hours, too many cases. Now that you're back, maybe he'll ease up a little." Stella said, softly. They stepped out of the elevator to go to the security checkpoint before heading up to the lab. Melanie took off her gun holster and held out her badge and id. The civilian security personnel glanced at it and waved her through.

"Wow, now that worries me. He's probably let anyone through if they had some sort of badge. He didn't even look at it." She said, to Stella as her, Lindsay and Stella stepped into the elevator.

"Budget cuts, according to Sinclair." Stella replied as the elevator doors opened to the crime lab, showing the rest of Mac's team apparently waiting for her arrival. The grim looks on their faces, along with Gibbs' team told her something else just happened.

xxxxx

review. it's going to get so much better


	6. Something else is going on

**FYI: I do not own any of the character on NCIS or CSI:NY. Again Melanie Fischer is my own creation. **

**Well I'm going home,  
Back to the place where I belong,  
And where your love has always been enough for me.  
I'm not running from.  
No, I think you got me all wrong.  
I don't regret this life I chose for me.  
But these places and these faces are getting old,  
So I'm going home.  
Well I'm going home.**

**Home~ Daughtry**

Something else is going on

"What? What's wrong?" Melanie asked, as Stella and Lindsay stood still. They realized she would find out as soon as she got here. Mac stepped forward, about to tell her when Gibbs placed a hand on his shoulder to let him tell her. "It's not Don is it?"

"No Melanie, he's fine. Just down at his desk looking for any connections to these two cases." Mac replied, immediately calming her fears.

"Wait, you just said two cases? Who else?" she asked, looking at everyone.

"Special Agent Cassandra O'Mara of NCIS. Also part of your team." She heard Don say behind her. She turned around to see his blue eyes meet hers, and when she saw the sadness and fear, she slowly started to fall down, tears cascading down her face. She felt a sturdy grip on her waist as they pulled her up into their arms. She knew instantly that it was Don holding her, because she felt the love and warmth immediately in those arms.

As Don held his love, crying in his arms, he looked at the others and they immediately all left to go talk about the case. This was just as hard on him as it was on her. He knew that this woman was as strong as they come but hearing about not just one, but two of her team being murdered in just one day, scared her immensely. It scared him too because it might mean that this crazed maniac might be after her too.

He continued stroking Melanie's hair as she cried, when Mac came up softly to them. "We need her now, Don. It's vitally important we know what both of them were doing in the city and what this mission was about. I know it's gonna be hard, Mel, but you have all of us here to protect you and help you through this." He said, reaching out to pull her away from Don's arms into his own. He rubbed her back as she gulped down the last cry and shook her hair out of her face. She reached out for her boyfriend's hand and squeezed it.

"Go and talk to anyone you need to. But please no communication to anyone other NCIS agents other that Gibbs' team and myself. Anything you find let us know." She said, as he nodded, kissing her on the forehead.

"I will I promise." He said, looking at Mac. "Take care of her, Mac. That's my child in there too."

Mac nodded as Don went to the elevator. "I will Don. Nothing will harm her." He replied as the elevator doors closed. "Now Agent Fischer, I think it time for us to go down to the morgue. Ducky and Sid are already working on COD. They seem to be working great together."

As he guided her down the hall to the elevator toward the morgue, she turned and looked at him. "Who worked the scene, Mac?" she asked.

"Sheldon and Danny. Stella and Lindsay were processing the evidence from earlier this morning when we got the call from Don that it was another one of your agents." He said, as they exited the elevator to the morgue, where she could hear Ducky and Sid arguing. Mac was about to stop Mel from going in when she stopped him.

"I need to see them, Mac. I must know what I'm up against." She said, as he reluctantly let her into see her comrades. Both of them lay naked and still on the cold steel tables, with Andrew's chest open so Sid could see where the bullet penetrated his body. Cassie was still unopened but covered to respect her privacy. She knew that these two were involved, and knew that once word of Andrew's death got out she would come to New York. She would do the same if it was Don.

"Duck, Sid, what is the time of death on Agent O'Mara here?" Mac asked, as Mel silently stared at two members of her team. Ducky looked up as Sid stood staring at Melanie.

"Well Detective Taylor, rigor shows that she has been dead more than two hours. Liver temp shows the same." Ducky said, slowly looking over Cassie's body. "Sid, over here, does have a COD on Agent Stanley though."

"Cause of death was a tear to the aorta. Bullet penetrated it almost instantly." Sid said, motioning for the two to come closer. Mel's stomach had a different idea and she rushed to the nearest trash can, throwing up her stomach contents of earlier that morning. Mac and the two ME's looked on worriedly, as Mel stood up and wiped her mouth.

"Damn morning sickness." She said, reaching into her purse for the mini mouthwash she had been carrying ever since the nausea and vomiting started. She got it and rinsed her mouth out before spitting it out in the same trashcan. "You might want facilities to dump that soon."

Sid laughed. "Still the same I see. Squeamish at the sight of internal organs." He said, motioning her to stay put. "Don't need you throwing up on this body."

"Now you know that this shot was at close range but I found this substance adhered to the skin around the entrance wound." Sid said, handing Mac a jar that held a tiny piece of something.

"I'll have Adam analyze this as soon as we are done. Now Dr. Mallard, what have you got so far on Agent O'Mara here." Mac said, as he stepped toward the woman's body. Mel stayed at a far enough range in case her stomach wanted to empty its contents again.

"Well, it seems that COD might be the same as Agent Stanley's over there. Same burn area around the entrance wound, same defensive marks on her arms as Stanley's. Look like whoever killed him, might have killed this poor young woman. Now you know this does remind of my days back at the Scotland Yard…" he started when Melanie cut him off.

"Ducky, do you know if the wound was caused by the same gun?" she asked, knowing if she didn't stop he would go on forever. It was then when Sid spoke up.

"I think so. We have yet to retrieve the bullet, considering they were both shot at close range in the same area of the body. We'll let you know when we find it." Sid said, ending the conversation and letting them know to scat so he and Ducky could continue working. Mac nodded and motioned Melanie out the door.

She turned around and looked at both of them. "Please do so soon. I need to know." She said as she exited the morgue. She turned to Mac. "You know exactly what gun was used? Has Stella found out yet?"

"As I said earlier, its looks like a government issued nine millimeter gun. Stella was running it against known cases in federal agencies." Mac replied, as they arrived on his floor again. He guided toward his glass walled office and handed her a cup of tea as soon as she sat down.

"God I miss coffee." She said, looking down at the cup. "I blame Gibbs for that addiction."

"I bet you do." Gibbs said, walking in Mac's office and nodding to his longtime friend. He then looked at Melanie, with his famous Gibbs stare, telling her to start talking.

She sipped carefully, then started to talk. "Has Abby freaked out here yet? I mean I think there are so many more machines and people than she is used to." She asked, causing Gibbs to slap her on the back of her head. She started rubbing it. "Ok, ok. It all started…"

_36 hours earlier…_

_"Look Andrew, when I was there 3 months ago, there was nothing there stating Ali was there at all. The Italian mob was quiet for once but not the Russian. I don't know where you're getting this information." She said, angrily over the phone. She had yet to tell him that she was pregnant but she thought he suspected to recent events of vomiting and cravings. Cassie knew already, asking her outright about it. So she assumed he knew already._

_"Trust me boss. He's here. Our sources at NCIS say so." Stanley replied, as she started packing her one piece of luggage. _

_"Great, you believe those idiots in intelligence over me?" she replied, as she heard him sigh. "Look, I'm being pulled. I just got the call with the break code. I have to leave and I will give you my new number as soon as I get it. Just be careful, this might be a trap." _

_"Alright boss. I promise. Are you going to call the others?" he asked, as she finished zipping up her suitcase. _

_"Already left them the messages with the codeword. They should be receiving new instructions as soon as they get in touch me. I've got to go. Be careful and be on the lookout. I'll meet you at Sam's bar tonight at 9pm. We'll talk more then." She hung up and dragged her purse and luggage outside to the curb. She looked under the car first to make sure it wasn't rigged and when she deemed it safe she got in it. _

_As soon as she got to the airport she cleaned the car and burned the registration and license plate. She threw them into the nearby lake and walked to the terminal for her New York flight. She went through customs, showed them her NCIS identification and passport and boarded her flight. _

_She felt immediately that she was being followed but as soon as she got through customs that tingling feeling went away and the butterflies came. She was going to see Don for the first time since she found out she was pregnant. She hadn't had the nerve to tell him over the phone. She knew that Vance wanted her in DC right away but she had to make this trip. She knew the director would understand as soon as she told him why. _

_8 hours later, as she was standing in La Guardia Airport customs, the nausea came. She held it through the customs and ran toward the nearest bathroom. As soon as last night's meal came up, she rinsed her mouth out and sighed. She certainly hoped this didn't last the entire pregnancy. It was getting really annoying. _

_She hailed a cab from La Guardia to Midtown where Don lived. She looked at her watch, hoping that he was home. If he wasn't, she knew where he kept the key. Her thoughts on the case once again, she thought back to Vance telling her to get out of Italy. Why would he pull her when he knew how important this cover was to getting into the cell? _

_She shook her head and put on her Ipod with calming music. She could concentrate on the case later, with Andy at Sam's bar where it was noisy enough for them to talk. Plus it would be nice to see her best friend again. Before she knew it, she was at Don's building. _

_Melanie got out and gave the cabbie cash for her cab ride. She also forgot how expensive cab rides were. She walked through the doors and saw Al, the doorman. He did a double take and smiled at the familiar face walking through the door. _

_"Well, well, well look who the cat dragged in." Al said, getting up to kiss Melanie on the cheek. _

_She smiled as she kissed the sweet old man on the cheek. "Thanks, Al. It's nice to see you again too. Hey you know if Don's home?" she asked, feeling the butterflies come again. _

_"For once, that poor man is home on a day off. It was a slow day in crime and his boss basically shoved him out the door. Mac kinda helped with that too. He'll be happy to see you. Does he know you're here?" Melanie shook her head. "Ah, a surprise visit. Well young lady go right on up" _

_"Again thank you, Al. I'll see you later." She replied, as she stepped in the elevator. She pressed the 15 floor button. She started fidgeting. God was this nerve wracking. It was like telling him her feelings all over again. _

_The elevator opened up and she headed down the hall toward his apartment. She paused as she raised her hand to knock and took a deep breath. She knocked three times, like always and waited for him to open the door. Don opened the door and stood there silently when he realized who was standing at his front door._

xxxxxxx

**Melanie's back and what is Flack's first reaction coming right up!**


	7. Melanie's Return

**This is still 36 hours earlier, beginning when Melanie appeared at Don's door. His reaction and such continue and then back to present day. **

**You were my strength when I was weak  
You were my voice when I couldn't speak  
You were my eyes when I couldn't see  
You saw the best there was in me  
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach  
You gave me faith 'coz you believed  
I'm everything I am  
Because you loved me **

**You gave me wings and made me fly  
You touched my hand I could touch the sky  
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me  
You said no star was out of reach  
You stood by me and I stood tall  
I had your love I had it all  
I'm grateful for each day you gave me  
Maybe I don't know that much  
But I know this much is true  
I was blessed because I was loved by you **

**Because You Loved Me ~ Celine Dion**

_Melanie's Return_

_"What? Aren't you gonna say hi to me?" Melanie asked, as she pushed her way through his door, throwing her purse down on his entry table, that she just by chance happened to pick out. He turned, speechlessly, as she stood in front of him, hand on her hips, her head cocked to side, smiling. _

_"What are you doing here?" he finally asked, causing a pretend "Hmphh" from Melanie. He shut the door and stood face to top of head with all five foot, four inches of her. _

_"What, no hello hug or I've missed you kiss? I'm hurt." She said, teasingly, hoping to get some kind of reaction from him just standing there. He shook his head, as if he was dreaming. The person standing in front of him was Melanie Fischer, his longtime, on and off again sweetheart and the ultimate love of his life. Here she was, the grown up version of the wild, quirky, red headed girl who happened into a game of Tag back in Queens when he was 8 years old. The person who was his steady girlfriend in high school, the one he was sure he could spend the rest of his life with. The one who left without saying goodbye. _

_She waved a hand in front of his face. "Don, I'm here. I'm really here." She said, walking closer to him. She looked up into his bright, blue gorgeous eyes and brought his face down to hers. "I'm here to make this right, to make us right again. I've missed you, Donny." _

_It was those words, those soft words that brought his lips crashing down to hers. He pulled her up into his arms, kissing her fiercely. It had been months since he had held her so close, months since his lips had touched hers and yet here she was in the apartment that he had hoped they would share. He finally brought the kiss to an end, a few minutes later. _

_"Now, that was the welcome I was expecting." Melanie replied, softly, pulling away. Don smiled softly, as he led her by hand toward his living room. When they got there, she sat down on his couch, which again she picked out for him, and he went into his kitchen. _

_"You hungry?" he asked, as her stomach answered with grumbling. He laughed. " I would say so. Still like you're favorite? And coffee?"_

_She smiled. "You mean my cinnamon crunch bagel with strawberry cream cheese?" she asked, as he nodded. "And no to the coffee. If you have tea, I'll take that." The answer to the coffee question caused Don to turn around and raise an eyebrow. _

_"You, Melanie Fischer, will not have coffee? What has this assignment done to my best friend?" he replied, looking through his white cabinets for the tea he always kept. "Ha, knew I had it here. In case of emergencies of course."_

_He returned a few minutes later, handing her tea with one hand and placing the bagel and cream cheese on the coffee table. She took the tea carefully, as he sat down gently next to her. "God how I miss New York talk. And your New York accent. I, unfortunately, had to lose that precious accent for my assignments." _

_Don placed a hand on her leg, rubbing it up and down lovingly. "So answer my first question. What are you doing here?" _

_She swallowed the wondrous bite of her favorite bagel she hadn't had in years, and turned to look into his eyes. Eyes that she had known for so long, eyes that were as blue as the sky on a clear day. Even though he was a grown man, she could still see the boy that she had fallen in love with long before. He looked expectedly at her, waiting for an answer. _

_She sighed. "Donny, you know three months ago, when we…made love." Don nodded. She bit another bite bagel. "Well I'm pregnant." She said her mouth full. It took a full minute for Don to realize what she had just said. She swallowed her bite, and sipped the tea, hoping that the nausea that she felt coming wouldn't. _

_That feeling of hope didn't last long. "Don, I'll be right back." She said, getting up fast and basically running to the bathroom. He followed her, into the bathroom, kneeling beside her as the food she just had came back up. He rubbed her back as she prayed to the porcelain god for the second time in 3 hours, " It's become part of my daily routine," she tried to joke._

_Don helped Melanie to stand and stood next to her while she rinsed her mouth and used the spare tooth brush," How long have you known?," he asked handing her a small towel to wipe her mouth._

"_Two weeks." she replied._

_He nodded crossing his arms over his chest," And you waited this long to tell me!"_

"_I was out on assignment," she said exasperated._

"_Mel, you could have been hurt."_

"_But I wasn't and I'm here now."_

_Don pulled her into his arms for the second time since she had walked through his door," I would never forgive myself if something happened to you."_

_Melanie inhaled his fragrance and felt the warmth that flowed through his body into hers "I want things to be right between us Don. It's not just me anymore. I have someone innocent inside of me. Plus after you told me you almost died and I wasn't there, I knew that I had to come back. For you, for us, for our child."_

_She felt the tears he was crying as he held her. She knew that this was right. It was right and safe to be here, in New York, in his arms. She knew that with him around, nothing could possibly happen to her or their baby. She pulled away gently and wiped the tears from his cheeks._

_"Tell me you're at least happy we're going to have a child. That you're happy you're going to be a father, Don?" she asked, tears welling up at the thought he wouldn't be happy. _

_"Oh Mel, I couldn't be happier. I think, besides you coming into my life, that this is the happiest moment of my life. We're having a baby, together! You're back here in New York, with me." Don replied, kissing her fiercely again. _

_This time she broke the kiss. "Look Don. I came here first, to tell you I was pregnant. I have to go to DC tomorrow to discuss why I am no longer undercover. But for now, I want to go to Sam's bar and tell her she's gonna be an auntie." She asked, pushing him towards his bedroom so he could get dressed. Don looked at her somewhat hurt. "It's my duty. After that, I will tell Vance what he needs to know and he can choose a new team leader. Oh and I told Andy to meet me at Sam's bar at nine. So get dressed!" _

_"Same as always; demanding, beautiful and sexy. God I missed you!" He said, as he looked in his closet for some casual clothes to wear. She went in behind him and grabbed him something to wear. He took them, tore off his clothes and got dressed, as Melanie watched lovingly. "Don't you have to change?" _

_"Oh yeah!"she said, laughing. "You still have my clothes here?" He grabbed her hand and guided her to the special portion of his closet where it housed her clothes. _

_"Think they still fit?" he asked, as she pulled clothes from the hangers. Melanie turned around and with a free hand, smacked him._

_"I have not gained any weight, yet Flack." She replied, changing out of her almost too small blouse into her favorite purple top and into a familiar worn pair of jeans. She looked around for her shoes that she knew that around somewhere and got black heels to go with the outfit. Don raised an eyebrow at the ensemble. "Well Don, I hope girls you've had over, didn't see your closet. Or they would have thought you were a cross dresser." _

_"Shush woman. I've only had one woman over and that was 3 years ago. Other than that, no one but you." Don said, scooping her up and carrying her out to the entry way. "Damn, you're getting heavy."_

_She smacked him harder this time and grabbed her purse, once he set her down. She waited for him to grab his badge and gun from the drawer in the table, and waited impatiently for him. "Come on, I want to see Sam."_

_Don looked at Melanie before they left and kissed her again. She smiled. "Let's go. We have a date to get to." He said, opening the door to let her out. He noticed that she got her badge out and placed it on her belt along with her gun. He knew that she wasn't taking any chances. They went downstairs, said goodbye to Al, who nodded knowingly, and walked to Sam's bar a few blocks down. _

_They flashed their badges at the door, and got in. Melanie spotted the dark haired beauty that was Don's sister at the bar on the right, serving drinks left and right. They made their way to her bar and sat down in two empty chairs at the end, waiting for Samantha Flack to notice them. Meanwhile, Mel looked around to see if Andy had arrived yet. She hadn't seen him, so she looked at her watch. It was 8:50pm, so she figured she would give him another half hour to show up. She also looked at her new cell phone, the one she got after she went through customs to see if any of her team called, or texted stating their were at their respective safe houses. _

_"OH MY GOD!" she heard a squeal come down toward her end and engulf her in a huge hug. "You're back and you're with my brother!" _

_Melanie laughed and returned the hug with as much enthusiasm as Sam. "Yeah, I'm back. To stay for the most part." She said, as Don gingerly hugged his younger sister. _

_"Want anything to drink?" Sam asked, getting glasses ready. _

_"You know what I want, Sam." Don said, gently placing his hand on Melanie's back. He felt a strange vibe, something he couldn't place his finger on. _

_"Cabernet Sauvignon, coming right up." Sam said, looking at her long time friend. _

_"Sprite please Sam." Melanie replied, causing Sam's bright eyes to bulge. _

_"The only reason I could think of that you would turn down one of my drinks is that you're pregnant." Melanie bit her lower lip, trying to keep the sly smile off her face. "Oh my god, you are, aren't you. And you must be the father!" _

_"Good detective work Sam. I'll make a good one out of you yet." Don replied, taking a sip of his favorite wine. Meanwhile, Mel looked at her watch and realized that if Andy wasn't here yet, then he must be getting to his safe house and wasn't allowed to contact anyone yet. _

_"Yes, Sam you're going to be an aunt." Mel replied as Sam handed her the glass of Sprite. "You'll know everything when I get back from DC. I promise." _

_Sam pouted when the other bartender came up and asked her a question. She waved him off, signaling to take over the drinks for her for the time being. "So you're here for what tonight?" Mel nodded. "And I take it you're gonna spend the night with my big brother aren't you? And are you going to tell Dad and Brian anytime soon?" _

_The two looked at each other, realizing that telling Don Flack, Sr. was going to be a problem. Don's older brother, Brian, on the other hand, would be ecstatic; to find out he was going to have a niece or nephew. "So I'm not the only one afraid of Dad. Good to know." Sam said, leaning on the bar. _

_"Thanks Sam. Really needed that support. We'll tell Dad in due time, when Mel comes back." Don said, roughly. He looked over at Mel and noticed the heaviness of her eyelids and knew he should get her home. "Look, sis, it's been great seeing you but I think I have to take this pregnant, jet-lagged woman of mine home. We'll call you when we want to tell the family, ok?" _

_"I'm sorry, Sam. Just that I get tired easily now, being pregnant and all. I promise that we'll catch up when we get back." Mel said, standing up and grabbing some money out of her purse. _

_"Hey, drinks on the house." Sam said, pushing the money back into her best friend's hand. "Go home, rest. I'll see you in a few days. And bro, take good care of her." Don nodded, lending Melanie a hand off the barstool and walking out, keeping an eye on everyone. _

_They returned to Don's apartment, ten minutes later, with one very exhausted Mel. Once Don got her inside, he carried her to the bedroom and undressed her, giving her a shirt of his to sleep in. Once he laid her down, she was fast asleep. He sighed, and got up from the bed, changing then climbing into bed next to Melanie, knowing that they both had to be up at the crack of dawn. _

"So, I didn't think too much of Andy not coming to the bar then. I had given them all the code word, and I assumed within the next few days, they would all contact me." Melanie sighed, placing her face in her hands. "I guess I was wrong. I should have done something else. Should have contacted the safe houses to make sure they were there."

Gibbs looked at Mac, nodding. He knelt next to the distraught agent and said, "Look, in this situation I would have thought the same. I would have done the same. You followed the book and your instincts. Whoever this is, set up the trap for them to walk right into. They probably died protecting you."

Melanie looked up, directly at Mac for confirmation. He nodded when there was a knock at his door. Melanie turned around to see Sid and Ducky standing there. The senior CSI motioned them to come in. "Tell us what you have." He said, as Ducky placed a comforting hand on Melanie's shoulder.

"We told you that there were defensive marks on both the agent's arms. Well there's something else." Gibbs stood up and stared Sid in the face to keep going. Instead, Ducky continued.

"Once rigor set in, new marks came up. I'm sorry Melanie but you're agents were tortured before they were shot. Tortured badly." Melanie choked back a sob. She looked at Mac, whose mouth was set. He knew that this disturbed him.

Gibbs then looked at Mac. "Were both crime scenes primaries?" he asked, as Ducky and Sid left. Mel sat there in the chair, looking out to Mac's lab.

"That's what puzzled me at first, Jethro. At the first crime scene, there wasn't that big pool of blood to be expected with such close range contact. From what I saw of the second crime scene photos, it looked like the second one was the same." Mac replied. "There was no blood splatter, or gunshot residue at either crime scene."

"That means whoever killed both of my agents was torturing them for information about something. They were in the States a good few days before I got pulled. Which means…" Melanie said, her eyes alert again.

"Their locations, along with yours, were compromised. Someone knew exactly where to find them, subdue them and torture them for information." Gibbs said, knowing exactly where this was going. His suspicion was about to be confirmed when McGee and Danny appeared in the hallway outside Mac's office.

Boss, we looked at both Agent Stanley and O'Mara's phone records. The last call they both placed…" he started to say when Melanie cut them off.

"Were to NCIS to make sure the information they were given was right." She stood up and brushed off her skirt. "This means our killer has access to either NCIS files…"

"Or they are NCIS themselves." Danny said, handing Mac the file he just received. Mac looked down at the file.

"And it looks like ladies and gentlemen, our suspicion about a leak in NCIS was right. Now's it our job to figure out who it is." He said, crossing his arms. "Before anyone else gets hurt."

xxxxx

**Dun dun dun. Anyway, for those of you who have watched NCIS, the reason Vance gave Gibbs for splitting up his team was because there was a mole and he wanted to see who it was. It was one of his three agents, Langer, Keating and Lee. One or more of these is the mole in this story. You get to guess who and find out in later chapters! Now review!**


	8. In the Lab

**Disclosure: Mac Taylor and his CSI team, and Gibbs and his team are not of my creation. They are CBS!**

In the Lab

Tony Dinozzo and Ziva David were working with Lindsay Monroe and Sheldon Hawkes, looking at the evidence taken from both crime scenes. Once Lindsay and Sheldon were on the other side looking at something under the microscope, Ziva spoke up.

"You seem to care a lot about her Tony. Almost as if you love her." Ziva said, looking carefully as the crime scene photos as Tony started sketching from them.

"I've known Melanie since I started at Baltimore PD 10 years ago. We were partnered up, sent in on raids together. We watched each others backs, learned how each other reacted to any situation." Tony looked up from his work and looked her in the eyes. "I thought I was in love with her once. Then I realized, after she took me home for Christmas one year, that there only room for one man in her life. That's when I realized we would be nothing more than friends."

"Oh, I didn't realize. I mean, never mind." Ziva replied, pretending to work again.

Tony sighed. "Ziva, I know that whatever happened in Tel Aviv is not my business. But…I care about you and to tell you the truth I hate seeing you like this, you deserve better." He said, quickly waiting for something bad to happen. What happened next surprised even him.

He looked and saw tears running down the assassin's face. "He was a childhood love of mine. Someone I thought I could depend on. However when I went back, it wasn't the same. I didn't care for him like I do for you. He tried to attack me, I got away." She said, rubbing her arms. Tony's head shot up.

"Did you just say you care for me? As in more than friends?" he asked, placing his hand on top of hers. She looked him straight in his eyes, and nodded. "Alrighty, then. I think that we might have hit a new level in our relationship, Zee-vah."

She laughed. "Great, what did I get myself into now?" she said, as Tony cupped her face. Her brown eyes looked into his, and he did what he has wanted to do for years. He kissed her.

"See Tony, I told you it wasn't going to be that bad." Melanie said, walking into the part of the lab, scaring both Tony and Ziva apart. She laughed as Lindsay and Sheldon looked over their shoulders, trying to pretend they didn't hear a thing. Once Hawkes realized who it was, he jumped up and engulfed Mel in a hug.

"It's good to see you Mel. I heard the good news." Sheldon said, as Melanie unwrapped herself from his arms.

"Thanks, Sheldon that means a lot. Now tell me what you all have." She replied, as Tony and Ziva gave her what they had. She looked down at Tony's sketches and realized one thing. Both were the same and were done by the same person. The only difference was they were done hours apart. "Thanks guys. That just serves my suspicion that they were pawned on each other and were at least tortured together. This means that Andrew was killed to prove a point to Cassandra, to get her to talk."

"We also think that Cassandra was killed because she wouldn't reveal anything either. We dusted her crime scene for fingerprints, looked for footprints. Nothing. Whoever did this was clean." Sheldon said, as Lindsay stepped forward.

"I looked at the two buildings where each of the bodies was dumped. Both were under major renovation at the time and whoever the killer was knew exactly when the buildings would be empty." Lindsay said, giving her the building leases. "We also know that Agent Stanley body was dumped just an hour after he died, giving the killer enough time to clean up his blood and change. We also know that Agent O'Mara was killed about 3 hours after that, and dumped around noon today."

"When the crews went on lunch," Ziva said, realizing something. "This person had been watching these places for days. Melanie, do either of these building have any connections to your assignment?"

Melanie looked down at the building leases to see if she recognized any names of the building owners or even the construction workers. Her head was spinning as she looked at them and started to feel woozy. Sheldon grabbed her arm and let her to a stool near the counter. "Hey, you need to be looked at. Get blood work done." He said, as Mel laid her head down on the table to calm not only her stomach but to stop the world from spinning.

The four of them looked at each other and came to the same conclusion. The case was taking its toll on Melanie and the stress might make her lose the baby. Abby and Stella came in to this scene, and abruptly stopped when they saw the woozy woman on the stool.

"Look, Mel, I think you need to take it easy. I know it's difficult on you right now, dealing with this. However, the stress is not good for you or the baby. You need to take it easy." Stella said, coming forward rubbing her friend's back. "I'll call Don. He'll take you to the doctor."

Mel looked up weakly from the table. "Don't. I can do this. It's just the morning…" she waved for Tony to bring her the trash can and as soon as he did she threw up. When she looked up again, she saw six concerned faces. "Fine, I'll take it easy."

She got up and almost fell when Stella caught her. It was right then when Gibbs and Mac walked in. They both sighed when they saw Melanie. Mac was almost immediately on his phone.

"Flack, Mac. You need to come up here and bring Melanie to the nearest doctor or hospital. I don't care which but get your butt up here, now. After that, take her home and don't let her out of your sight."

Melanie glared at Mac, as he and Gibbs led her weak body back to Mac's office. Gibbs realized something and turned around only to see both teams following them. He sighed, grumpily.

"Dinozzo, David. You're on protective duty with Agent Fischer here for the next 6 hours. After that, it will be McGee and Monroe's turn." He said, causing Melanie's body to tighten up. "The rest of you back to work. We have to solve this case before one of us turns up dead."

As they turned the corner, they all saw a very concerned Detective Flack standing by Mac's office. Gibbs and Mac guided Melanie to her boyfriend's arms where she found a safe solace. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, when he took her by arm toward the elevator. Gibbs motioned for Tony and Ziva to help him.

"Detective Flack, from now on you and Agent Fischer will have twenty four protective detail. Agents Dinozzo and David will have the first shift." Gibbs shouted as the elevator doors closed. He turned around to see the rest of the combined team standing there. "What?"

"Gibbs, I have something. That's why Stella and I went to the others." Abby said, stepping forward.

"You know I hate waiting Abby. Just go ahead." Gibbs replied, gruffly. He knew that this was important but he was concerned for Melanie's health and safety.

"Well, after Stella and I matched the bullet to a specific gun, which was a 9mm semi automatic typically issued to government and federal employees, we ran it against all the agencies' database to see if the striations would match anything there. Well it didn't. So I tried something else and ran it against closed cases in the past fourteen months."

"So…" Gibbs motioned for Abby to continue.

"We found a match." Abby said, excitedly.

"Ok… what or who was the match." Danny asked, making Abby more excited.

"It was a match from a few months ago at the Naval Yard." Abby said, starting to jump up and down. "It matched the bullet found in Agent Brett Langer's body."

Gibbs sighed. "Which means Langer was never the leak."

McGee realized what that meant. "And Agent Lee was."

xxxxx

**Hehe. More to come! Have alot of it written already. Some nasty stuff happens and you get to see a side of Flack and Melanie many have not seen before  
**


	9. Meet the Baby

**Every time our eyes meet  
This feeling inside me  
Is almost more than I can take  
Baby when you touch me  
I can feel how much you love me  
And it just blows me away  
I've never been this close to anyone or anything  
I can hear your thoughts  
I can see your dreams **

**~Amazed - Lonestar**

**You get to meet the baby for the first time. Have fun!**

Meet the baby

As Don, Melanie, Tony and Ziva exited the elevator toward the front of the building, they all felt like someone or something was watching them. Melanie looked down at her phone, the one given to her and sighed.

"Where's the nearest gutter?" she asked, pulling it off her belt. Tony and Ziva looked puzzled whereas Don knew exactly what she was thinking.

"There's one right in front of the hospital. You can dump it there." Don replied, holding her arm as if he was trying to protect her. Mel didn't shake it off, she knew it was in his protective and of course cop nature to do so. "After that, we go straight up to Dr. Malloy's office."

She looked back at her supposed security detail and sighed dejectedly. She was still trying to formulate a plan to ditch them and go to her own safe house that wasn't in NCIS' records. She guessed it would have to wait until after she saw the doctor. Only because she knew it would make everyone feel better.

Once the four of them reached the hospital, Melanie found a gutter and dumped her cell phone in it. Now she really had to get to her safe house, to not only find out who exactly was after her but to see if it was possibly compromised.

Don shook her out of her thoughts. "Mel, I know how much you hate doctors but you have to do this." He said, gently guiding her through the front doors. "If not for me, then for our child."

"I'll stay down here, Detective. Watch for anyone suspicious." Ziva said, stopping by the reception area. Don nodded, as Tony hurried toward the elevator where they were standing. Once they got into the elevator and went up to floor 5, Don couldn't hold back and pulled Mel into his arms. She sagged as he just held her until the doors opened again.

Tony stepped out first, checking both sides. "All clear. Let's get you checked up partner." He said, waving to the office where Mel's physician was. The three of them entered when the receptionist Stacey recognized them.

"Well, look who has been brought back from the dead." She said, handing them a clipboard to fill out. "What's brings you here today, Ms. Fischer, Detective?"

She looked at Don, who smiled back at her. "We're pregnant." She said, simply causing the receptionist to raise an eyebrow.

"About time. How long have you two been together?" Stacey asked, as Melanie handed her back the clipboard.

"Too long to count, Stace. Dr. Malloy busy?" Don replied, as Mel started to feel the dizziness come back, making her hold the counter in a death grip.

Stacey raised another eyebrow and nodded her head to the door. "He's in his office. He'll be happy to see you both."

As Tony opened the door, Don turned back. "Thanks, Stacey. We'll have dinner at a later time." He said, putting an arm around his girlfriend's waist firmly, guiding her stressed out body toward their longtime friend's office. As they entered, the brown haired doctor looked up and smiled.

Once Don helped Melanie sit down in one of the chairs in front of his desk, Dr. Frank Malloy frowned. "What's going on, Don?" he asked, looking the woman in his chair up and down. "Wait, let's get her to an exam room before you even answer that."

Mel groaned, as she was moved to another room and was helped lie down on the cold exam table. As Dr. Malloy and Don settled in, Tony stood outside the door. "Alright you two, talk." The doctor said, as Don started stroking Mel's hair.

"We're pregnant, Frank. And this stubborn one here has yet to go to a doctor. With the case we are on, the team though it best that she go to the doctor. Who better to go to than you?" Don answered, as Mel opened her eyes and looked at her friend.

"What case could cause this much stress on you Mel? You've always been one to wave stress away." He asked, as she sat up while he listened to her heart and lungs. Once he was done, he helped her gently to lie down.

"You know I can't talk about it." She replied, as Don glared at her. "Are you sure?"

He rolled his ultrasound machine toward her and motioned for her to pull up her shirt. "Melanie, how long have you known me?" he asked, placing the very cold gel upon her belly.

She squirmed a little while Don laughed. "Not funny, Flack. You try having freezing cold gel on your belly." she said, as the wand glided over her belly. "Two of my team were murdered here in the city, Frank. Unfortunately between the pregnancy and that, my body is not handling it well."

Don gasped causing her to turn her head. What she saw was a picture perfect sight. So it was true, there really was a living, breathing being inside of her. She gripped Don's hand as he continued staring at the screen before them. They both knew that this child would change both of their lives.

"Well, it is true. The dream couple is having a child. So far so good you two and it seems you are about three months along. So basically that puts your due date around end of April, early May." The doctor said, waving a hand in front of both of his friend's eyes. He chuckled as he took the wand away from her stomach and clicked something to print out. After they both realized what happened, they looked at each other lovingly.

"We're having a baby, Mel." Don whispered, as his forehead touched hers. She reached to stroke his face, reveling the moment they just had.

"Look, Mel, I know that this case is something you feel you have to solve yourself. However, you are at the stage of pregnancy where you could possibly lose the baby. Just make sure your stress levels aren't too high." Frank said, handing them their printed ultrasound. The two looked up from their moment. "And you, Don, have to make sure of her stress levels. Take good care of her. I'll see both of you in a month."

Melanie sat up and Don helped her land comfortably on her feet off the table. The doctor looked at the two as the walked right out of the exam room in daze. Dr. Malloy certainly hoped Melanie would take it easy or it could cost it not just her life but an innocent one too.

_Meanwhile…_

Tony was standing out where people usually entered the reception after Mel and Flack entered the exam room. He knew the two needed their privacy as they viewed their child for the first time. Just the thought of his former partner and his best friend having a child sent shivers down his back. It was surreal that Melanie was going to be a mother. The wild child, the girl every police officer used to fall over in Baltimore, the woman who could not commit to anyone ever, was having a baby.

God he felt sorry for Flack. Maybe just maybe Flack managed to finally get this woman to settle down. He knew the two had known each other for most of their lives and that they had fallen in love during high school. But when Mel wanted to explore the world, see what was outside of the city, Don faltered. In his mind, he couldn't see why anyone wanted to leave the city and when she didn't want to join NYPD with him, they had a falling out. That was when Tony met her right out of the Baltimore academy and she became his partner soon after.

Once she graduated from the academy, Mel got back in touch with then recent graduate Don Flack, NYPD. With that she applied to the University of Maryland, and took night classes, which was when she started making trips back home more frequently. Once Christmas time came around, she asked Tony if he wanted to go to New York. He really never enjoyed Christmas until that year. However, when he met Don and Danny Messer, along with Mac and Stella, he fit right in and felt as if he could do something even more with his life. Don and Danny, from that point on, became some of his best friends. The smart ass woman graduated in three years, when the two boys came down and partied hard with Tony and Mel.

When Tony decided to make the rash move and apply for NCIS, Mel decided to do so to. Her explanation: her chance to see the world. This move caused yet another falling out between the two people who were clearly meant to be together. Melanie leaned on Tony more than even when they went to FLETC and when they graduated, they managed to be placed on a team together, with Leroy Jethro Gibbs as their boss. Tony, at this time, with him playing messenger between the two, managed to repair whatever damage was caused. It was then that Melanie confessed that she asked the director to transfer her to the onsite office in NYC, so she and Flack could move in together. She got her wish and she left Gibbs team to head up her own in New York.

Tony laughed silently at the next part to come because of course it fit perfectly into Don and Melanie's love story. Fischer being Fischer started getting cold feet when Don proposed one night, five months after she moved in. It seemed like a match made in paradise, but to Melanie, who had abandonment issues, couldn't handle it. The case she was working on had managed to move overseas and she got permission from the director to go undercover overseas. So she packed one suitcase of luggage and with her team headed to Italy. She called him crying that night she left, telling him to tell Don she was sorry but she just couldn't do it.

Not long after that, Kate died and Melanie called to comfort him, Gibbs and Abby. However she was way too deep into her cover to come to the US for her funeral. Her excuse at that time for not contacting Don was her cover. Finally, when everything with Jeanne Benoit came into the clear, he called Flack for advice. However, when he called he found out from Danny that Don had been hurt and almost died. At the time, Tony knew Mel should know but couldn't bring himself to tell her. So he flew up to New York and helped Don recover, only to break his heart more to hear he couldn't get in touch with Mel.

Somehow, some way, Gibbs managed to talk Melanie into going to see Don after three long years of not talking. And now he knew what exactly happened in the city when she visited.

Tony's ringing cell phone shook him out of his thoughts. He noticed it was Probie won Kenobi and answered.

"Go ahead Elf Lord."

"We found out who the leak was." Tony stood up straighter.

"Who is it probie?"

"Agent Lee. And that's not all Tony. She's been helping an Al Qaeda terrorist find Mel's team. She had access to everything, safe houses, cell phone numbers, GPS locations. This guy knew Agent Fischer was investigating him and his cell. So with kickbacks, Agent Lee planted information that Ali, the terrorist, was in New York. All of her team managed to get the information when they went out on leads here in the US."

"And the only reason why she never came to the US after the previous lead was because she was pregnant. Mel sensed a trap, she always could. So let me guess, we know this Ali guy is here in New York but does he know we are?"

"We think so. No one knew that Fischer would make a stop in New York so we assumed that the reason why he tortured Stanley and O'Mara was to get the location of Melanie out of them." He heard a throat clearing behind him and saw Melanie and Flack behind him. He motioned them to sit down.

"What else McGee? There is always something else." He said, causing Mel to look up sharply.

"Well Tony, it looks like someone was tracking Melanie's new cell phone." He heard Ziva say behind him.

"Who would have the knowledge of how to track it?" Don asked, as Melanie sat back and sighed.

"Agent Keating, Tony." McGee said, over the phone. "I actually managed to crack that damn computer a few days ago. That's when I realized exactly what Keating was doing while he was there. So I'm trying to set up a trap for the other resident genius and see where he and Lee could be."

"Wait a minute you mean Lee and Keating are missing?" Dinozzo asked, incredulously.

"Yes, Tony. Get your asses back here now. This is probably the safest place for Melanie right now." Gibbs said, apparently grabbing the phone away from McGee. "This guy is after the people who mean a lot to Melanie. He is seeking some kind of revenge for something she did and hell bent on getting it."

"Ok boss. We're on our way." Tony said, waving everyone forward as he hung up. As they went toward the elevator, Melanie smacked the back of his head.

"Care to tell me what that was about, Dinozzo?" she said, as Don crossed his arms waiting for an answer.

"They found out where the leak was coming from. It was from a legal person Agent Lee and a computer genius Agent Keating. From what I gather, Lee got kickbacks for planting the information about your terrorist being here. Keating was tracking your cell phone to see where you were heading. So with the GPS locations and all the safe houses in New York leaked to this terrorist by these two, your team was captured and tortured for your location. They were killed because they didn't give you up."

"Oh god, Ali is after the people I care about isn't he?" Tony and Ziva nodded. "I should have seen it coming. I should have seen it coming."

Don turned the red head toward him. "Why is he after you? What did you do to piss him off so badly?"

"My team and I were staking out one of his apartments. All of sudden out of nowhere, we started hearing shots and most of them were aimed at us. We started shooting back, and somewhere one of us killed his assassin wife. So I guess after that, he blamed me for his death and set out to get revenge against me." Melanie said softly. Then suddenly her head shot up and looked at Don. "Do you have anyone covering your family? Especially Sam."

Don eyes widened and he immediately pulled out his cell phone. He held down his speed dial and Tony knew he was calling his sister. Even though Flack and his sister were always going at each other, he knew that if anything happened to Sam, Don would never forgive himself.

Melanie touched Flack's chest with her hand, rubbing the purple tie up and down absentmindedly. Tony looked at his two long time friends and immediately felt a hand upon his arm. "His sister will be ok." Ziva said, softly as Don threw his hands against the wall near the elevator.

"She didn't answer." He said, pulling Melanie against him with his other arm. He pressed the down button. "We need to get over there."

Melanie looked at Tony, pleading with her blue eyes. "We have to Tony. Sam is an innocent bystander. The only way anyone would know about her…"

"Is if they looked into your personnel files." Tony said, as the four of them piled into the elevator. "Goddammit."

Tony knew how much Sam meant to Melanie. She was her best friend from the time Sam was 6 and Mel was 8. Sam wasn't too happy when Melanie and her annoying older brother starting dating, according to Mel. But despite everything that happened between her brother and her best friend, she managed to take Mel's side in everything. The way Tony looked at it; Melanie got to do what Sam always wanted to do but never could. So Sam being in danger could cause a trickle of events that would not be pretty.

They exited the elevator and went through the front doors into the chilly November day. His cell phone starting ringing again, he answered it walking toward the street where cabs were lined up. "Dinozzo." He answered it, when he noticed people across the street waving frantically. "Boss, what's going on?"

Before Gibbs could answer, Tony saw a white explosion and felt himself flying through the air. He saw Don grab Melanie as they were thrown off their feet and couldn't see them after he landed. He had no idea where Ziva was and before he knew it the world went black.

xxxxx

**Ha! Cliffhanger!**


	10. Headaches Bruises and Missing People?

**Sorry it's been awhile. Just trying to get a fanbase. I will be starting another story soon, just a different version of Don and Melanie's romance and more concentrated on all the characters in CSI:NY. I have a great person in mind to be the enemy, but you'll find out who they are and why everything is connected later.**

**No more pretending  
No more pretending  
Lord, I know I need to tell you the truth tonight  
But everything is not alright in my life  
And I need you like never before  
I don't want to pretend anymore  
I'm tired of hiding my weakness  
I'm tired of trying to look strong  
I don't want to say that everything's fine  
When there's so much that's wrong  
Tell me again that you love me  
Though it's more than my heart understands  
And I will lay down my disguises  
And show You who I am**

**Scott Krippayne ~ No More Pretending  
**

Headaches, Bruises and Concerned Parents

As Don Flack led Melanie out of the hospital building, he noticed something was off. Most of the cabs in front of him had cabbies sitting in their vehicles or outside leaning against them, talking amongst each other. Except for one. He noticed first off, from all his homicides that it was different. The cab had new paint and not nearly all the damage all the others cabs got from driving through New York City. His eyes widened when his belt started vibrating and Mel jumped when it did.

He assumed that she, too, with her field and intelligence training noticed the stray cab. She stopped, pulling Flack with her away from it. It was too late because whoever set off the bomb noticed Melanie and her security detail getting closer, and it exploded.

Don grabbed Melanie to shelter her from the blast only to have her ripped from his arms when the shockwave came toward them. The last thing he remembered was seeing his pregnant girlfriend lying sprawled out on the concrete and then everything went black.

_Flashback to three months earlier_

_Don was sitting in his living room looking at the mound of paperwork he had to do before dawn tomorrow. Or his boss would have his ass. He groaned, sipping the glass of wine he had in front of him. Wine was his getaway from the heartache he experienced in his life. He may have recovered fully from the explosion but a broken heart, you can't repair so easily. Flack looked out his 15 story window in his living room at the New York skyline. He remembered sitting on this very couch with her in his arms, lights off just watching the nightlife go by. He still had her millions of clothes in his closet, her expensive Jimmy Choos and whatever else shoes she had still in the same spot. He still couldn't believe that he went down the street to New York bagels and got a bag of cinnamon crunch bagels and strawberry cream every week. Danny mentioned that getting over his woman was a tough thing to do. She was one of a kind woman, and this woman left him three years ago. _

_Sure he been on dates, some with Danny but every time he saw a red head with long hair pulled back he was reminded of her. So he gave up on women, especially the one at the charity event, oh and Detective Angell. He knew no one would ever replace Melanie Fischer in his heart. _

_Then, out of the blue, there was three knocks at his front door. His eyes sharply turned from window to the door. It couldn't be. The only person who knocked on his door like that… was Melanie. He got up, setting his wine on the coffee table, and went to the front door. He opened it to find the one person he thought he would never see again. _

_"Hi, Donny." Melanie said, softly, looking down. Don stood there staring at the red hair beauty standing in front of him, at his door. Her tan complexion was browner from being in Italy for years, her lip still as full, her body even more full of curves especially with the a-line brown skirt that hugged her hips, and the bright blue blouse that hugged that lustrous chest of hers. _

_Don couldn't resist what was right in front of him and he lifted her chin so her eyes could meet him. The bright blue eyes that were so full of sadness but also hope and love. He grabbed Melanie's waist and dragged her inside, bringing his lips to hers. _

_She wrapped her slender arms around his neck as he slid his hands down to her ass and caressed it. He whipped her around to where her back was against the wall, and he felt her hands start to wander. As his tongue explored her mouth, she moaned with pleasure. The slender red head brought her leg up higher, rubbing his leg with hers. _

_The wandering and caressing of hands were going to lead to something else when Flack's cell phone started ringing on the entry table. Melanie reached over to the table and grabbed it, breaking their fierce and passionate kiss. Don panted heavily, looking lustily at his woman. He then realized that his cell phone was ringing and that meant one thing. _

_"You're not going to answer it are you?" Mel asked, waving the cell phone in front of his face. He grabbed it as she reached for his belt next. Don sighed, knowing that if she kept going the way she was, he would not be able to resist. _

_His phone started ringing again, so he opened it and answered it. "Flack." He said, listening to the other line. Another rookie cop trying to explain what kind of dead body he just found. He sighed. "Forget it, Lawson. I'll be there in ten minutes. Call dispatch and have them page Detective Taylor."_

_"Ah, a typical night in New York City. Not a day goes by where someone isn't found dead. What kind of low life is it this time?" Melanie asked, pushing him away fixing the almost unbuttoned blouse. He buttoned his shirt back up and reached behind her for the tie he was wearing earlier that day. _

_"Actually, it wasn't a low life. Lawson on the other end, mentioned something about a uniform. I know it's not blue otherwise the chief and Sergeant Mueller would be calling me nonstop. Other than that, the dead body was around the VA hospital. So who knows until I get there." Don said, grabbing his suit jacket, badge and gun. Melanie looked down and grabbed her purse and luggage closer to her. He noticed a suit jacket for her to go with the skirt. While she did that, he accidentally, ok purposely looked down her blouse. _

_"Flack! Stop staring at my rack." Mel said, with a hint of a New York accent. She put her jacket on and placed her badge and gun on her belt. "Care if I join, Detective? If it's a uniform there is a very big possibility of it being a Marine or Navy personnel, especially that close to the VA."_

_"Sorry." He huffed, as he opened the door. "You know you can come with me anytime. Mac and the team would love to see you. I just hope your field skills have been hindered by the European vacation you've been on." _

_Melanie glared at him. "You're an ass, Don Flack. And to answer your question, dumbass, I can still remember how to process a crime scene." She replied, pushing him toward the elevator. "I certainly hope it doesn't take the long. I would love to continue where we left off back there." _

_Don rolled his eyes as they entered the elevator. It was like old times, they could never have enough of each other. How he survived these past few years is beyond him. How she survived is another story. He felt a tug on his shirt and felt a pair of lips on his. This time it wasn't a passionate kiss, it was one full of love. _

_The NCIS agent pulled away, looking at the New York second grade detective. "I think I'll take you up on the offer later. We need to get in my car and drive to where this body that destroyed my night is." Don replied, leading Mel to where his car was parked beneath his building. They piled into the Crown Vic and headed south toward the crime scene. _

_Flack parked just a few blocks away, and got out of the car. He and Melanie, with her knee high leather boots, starting walking toward the yellow tape and before they arrived, two cops stopped them. Flack held out his badge and id, stepping forward. "Let her thru guys." He said, having her show her badge and Id too._

_"Special Agent Fischer, NCIS." She said, as the two cops stepped aside. She and Flack ducked under the tape, to find a dead marine lying in the alleyway. Melanie motioned to the cop standing guard to hand her latex gloves. Once she got her wish, she put them on and scoured the crime scene. _

_"Looks like blunt force trauma to the head. Pool of blood spreads out a good couple feet." She said, kneeling down next to the body. "Flack, you have a flashlight? I forgot my purse at your place." _

_"No worries, Agent Fischer. I have just what you need." Mac said, ducking under the tape behind them. Stella wasn't too far behind, lugging another case. He shined a flashlight on the neck of the Marine so she could see his dog tags. She also pulled a military id from his front pocket of his camouflage uniform . _

_"Nice to see you Melanie. What brings you back to this wonderful city?" Stella said, kneeling beside her. "Who is this?" _

_Fischer sighed and Flack noticed she hung her head. "Corporal Shaun Lessinger. Stationed out of Iraq, went on leave to Milan five days ago. We lost track of him three days ago." Don looked at her strangely. "He was my inside source of a drug smuggling operation out of Iraq to Italy. Apparently somehow, without my knowing it, he managed to get here."_

_"So I take it you're staying for awhile?" Mac asked, looking at Flack questioningly. _

_"I was only here on a lead but now with this. I definitely have to stay longer. Excuse me, my fellow law enforcement officers. I have a call I have to make." She said, pushing Don out of the way and ducking under the yellow tape. Mac looked at the detective still standing._

_"Great just what I need on a Friday night. A dead marine corporal, drunk military on leave and a very sexy woman that I might not ever get to have sex with while she's here." Don muttered, leaving to go find the witnesses who found the body. "Just my luck."_

Flack woke with a start, sitting up straight only to have his head throb in the process. Standing next to his bed was Mac, looking extremely worried.

Don rubbed his temples. "You know, this entire being blown up by maniacs trying to prove a point is getting on my nerves." He said, as Mac smirked. "Plus hospitals still creep me out. Almost as much as the morgue."

"Glad to see you awake and talking, Flack." Mac said, handing him a glass of water. Don took it then sat up sharply again, causing the pain to come back.

"Melanie…" he said, hoarsely. Mac gently helped him lie back down.

"She's fine. A couple of bruised ribs, a massive headache and angry as hell. I wouldn't want to be around her right now." Stella said, entering the room. "He back to normal too?"

"Yep, sarcasm and concern for Melanie. He's good to go. Well with the exception of a massive headache whenever he sits up straight." Mac said, as Stella came to his side and grabbed Mac's hand. Don looked between the two carefully. "The baby's fine. You grabbing her helped cushion her fall."

Flack sighed with relief. He looked straight at Mac. "You care to tell me something, Mac? Stella?"

"Flack, buddy, why do bombs and crazy maniacs seem to be drawn to you?" Danny said, holding his arm. Don looked knowingly. "Melanie slammed me against wall when I wouldn't tell her what your condition is. Deadly woman you got there."

"I told you to stay away from her, Danny. Not my fault you got hurt." Stella replied, as Don snickered.

"Who else did she hurt?" Don asked, as he heard a very belligerent Melanie outside his door. "Mac, go get her before she hurts any more doctors. And before they stick her with a needle that might be used to kill them."

Mac scooted over to the door and looked for Melanie. "Agent Fischer, come here. Don's awake." He said, causing a tumbling of feet to come crashing through Flack's door. Mel appeared in the doorway, wearing blue scrubs. She smiled right at him and the others got out of the way so she could hug Don. She saw tears in her eyes as she climbed into his bed. The detective pulled her into his arms as she placed her head on his chest, which managed to get an "Awww how cute" from Danny.

"Shut your trap, Messer." Don replied, stroking the very teary Melanie's long red hair. He looked at the others. "How are Agents Dinozzo and David?"

"David was the closest to the blast and just got out of surgery. She'll be just fine as soon as wakes up." Mac said, as Don nodded.

" And just like the one on your bed, Ziva won't want to stay still for long." Tony said, limping in the room, his right arm in a sling. "I however was fortunate enough to only suffer a sprained ankle and dislocated shoulder. Ziva on the other hand got debris in her side. Not like that's gonna stop her."

Melanie smiled, sweetly. "How you gonna help her recover Dinozzo? And are you going to keep a very close eye on her." Tony smiled sarcastically back, when Gibbs appeared behind him, slapping him upside the head. With that, Mel buried herself in Don's chest trying to protect herself from her very angry former boss.

"Don't worry, Fischer. Tony deserved that one for not answering his phone in time." Gibbs said, as Tony cowered out of the room. "I just came to see how the detective and you were doing."

"Back to normal, Jethro. Flack's joking and Mel's New York accent came back for awhile. I'd say they would be good to go soon." Stella said, as Gibbs nodded and left the room. "I think I'm going to head back to the lab, I will see you two soon."

"Thank you Stella." Melanie yelled, as she left. She then looked at Danny, who threw his good arm up in defense.  
"I'm too afraid of you right now Mel. I'm leaving." Danny said, moving toward the door. "Good luck Flack."

Mac laughed as Danny left, leaving only the three in the room. Mel sighed. "It's bad, isn't it Mac?"

"Special Agent Caiman has been reported missing. Your sister Flack is also missing. Disappeared this morning when she went to the grocery. Hawkes and Lindsay are looking at the surveillance cameras around where she lives as we speak."

"They have Sam?" Don choked out tightening his grip on Melanie.

"We have every person available working on this case," Mac answered assuredly.

Melanie felt Don's body growing tenser against her," Mac could you give us a few minutes alone?" she looked at her friend and fellow detective.

"I'll be at the crime scene and I will call you with any news," Mac left the couple alone in the hospital room.

Melanie looked up at Don, his blue eyes were far away and his jaw was set in a defiant way that she knew all to well, "They will find her Donny," she pressed a hand against his cheek forcing him to look at her," Gibbs and Mac will stop at nothing. I will stop at nothing"

"Mel, they have already killed two of your other agents, what's going to keep them from doing the same to Sam?"

"Sam has no ties to anything except me, she cannot provide them any useful information."

"It still wouldn't stop them and you know it," Don said feeling the biting sting of hot tears. Even though Sam and him had their differences they were still family. He had a feeling that his father would kill his ass, not to mention Melanie's for getting his only daughter into this trouble.

"Don, look at it in this perspective. It's nothing different that the trouble Sam and I got ourselves into while we were teenagers. Remember when you had to play our savior through most of high school?" Don smiled weakly remembering those times when he thought saving Melanie would impress her. Come to think of it, she has always needing saving from something sometime or another.

"True, considering Sam followed you around everywhere and even though she had Brian, she always wanted me to save her." Don replied, absently stroking Mel's arm.

"That's because Sam was always Daddy's girl and you always strived to be like your father. Cop and everything. Plus Brian was away most of our time in high school, so we always depended on the good kid to get us out of our messes."

Don's eyes finally came back to reality and his jaw was set in a determined way. "Honestly, Mel, where do you think he could be keeping them?" he asked, gently pushing Mel away from him to sit up. She moved to the edge of the bed, a thoughtful look in her eyes, her forehead wrinkled as she racked her brain to where her friends could be.

"Truthfully, there are so many places in this city to take people hostage and not have anyone hear this scream." She replied, brushing her red hair behind her ears. "I have honestly no idea where to start."

Before Don could reply, Mel's cell phone rang. "Fischer" she answered, as she listened intently. She mouthed that it was Mac and Flack could only imagine what he had found out. He knew himself that the bomb was a professional done job and someone set it off when the four of them exited the hospital. So somehow someway, the person knew they were at the doctor's. His only question was how did they know they were coming out at that specific time.

"My cell phone wasn't the only being tracked. McGee hacked into the central NCIS server and found out someone was remotely tracking all of Gibbs' team from somewhere in the city. He's still trying to get lock on where exactly the signal is coming from." Don raised an eyebrow. "Trust me, with Abby and McGee together, they're definitely smarter than these bozos. They'll find something leading toward the location or close to it of Sam."

"Why do you hold so much faith in them?"Don asked, getting a very hard slap from his girlfriend.

"You are so cynical and pessimistic, Flack. I have no idea where you get that from. Now imagine this, MIT and John Hopkins graduate together with a forensic scientist who does all the work of Mac's lab combined versus two rogue agents that according to Gibbs weren't the brightest crayons in the box and a terrorist who hates American ways. Which one do you think will win?" Mel asked, as Don pressed the nurses' button so he could see if he could get his ass released to chase these crazy ass people.

"What I think is the sooner I get out of this place, the sooner I get to arrest these people and get rid of them from our lives." Don replied, as an older nurse entered the room. She looked at the two and looked over at the IV line that ran into Don's right hand.

"I think, Detective Flack that once I get your IV out, the doctor will release you." She replied, going over to Don's right side. "Now if you are squeamish around needles, don't look."

Both Mel and Don turned away as the nurse took out his line. "All done. Keep this gauze on the spot for a little while and someone will be back with discharge papers."

They both sighed as Melanie reached out to squeeze his hand. "We'll find her I promise." She said softly, as his blue eyes met hers.

"Oh we will, Mel. We will and whoever is doing this is going to pay the price. Harshly. I feel sorry for whoever it is, because they've never fought with me before." Don said, as they both waited anxiously for the discharge papers and once they came, he felt sorry for the bastard who did this because they were going to pay. Big time.

____________________________________________________________________

**Next chapter is a softer side of Melanie. She shows a lot of emotion and fear so beware**. **Also we'll find Samantha Flack soon enough!**


	11. Girl Talk

**Again I do not own any of NCIS or CSI:NY characters. Have a little fun with girls. Here you get to see some more of Melanie's past. **

Girl talk

After Don got his release papers, Mel convinced him that she would stay at the hospital with Ziva so Tony and him could work on the case. She also mentioned that staying with the assassin would probably keep her out of harm's way, until it came to a time that she was needed to help solve the case. She entered the room to see a dozing Tony is the reclining chair that was next to Ziva, who was resting quite comfortably. The doctors expected her to wake up soon, and they expected a fight when it came to keeping her in the hospital.

Melanie tiptoed to Tony's side of the room and gently shook him to wake him up. He startled awake at first but when his eyes focused he realized it was her, smiling slightly.

"You come to relieve me of my duties?" Tony asked, stretching his uninjured parts of his body.

"Yeah, since you have been released, Gibbs wanted you back on the case. I told him it was safer for me to stay with her and stay out of sight until I was desperately needed for something." She said, as Tony stood up. She plopped down in the chair he just vacated and leaned back. "Look, Tony, you and Danny need to keep on eye on Don. If he finds out where his sister is and this maniac is there, he might lose his badge. Please please please be careful."

Tony sighed, walking toward the door. "I'll try, Mel. You know how Don is when someone he cares about is threatened. Remember the time when you got shot in Baltimore and he went postal on the guy who did it to you? I truthfully don't know if I could stop him."

"Mac or Gibbs will, I have complete faith in them."

"You trust Gibbs to keep his temper in check? You should know of all people that with you in this situation, he won't stop at anything to get this bastard. Kinda like with Ari. He wouldn't stop until he was killed."

"This is a totally different situation. One of his team wasn't killed like Kate was." Tony stopped by the door as he turned around to look at Ziva lovingly. He then looked Mel straight in the eye.

"This bastard hurt her. I don't think I will stop either of them for doing something to him. He's trying to hurt you. You sure as hell better bet that by the time we catch him, he'll be dead as a doornail. Mac may able to stop us for now but not forever." Mel sighed, waving him out the door. Before he exited the room, she noticed him stop. "I'm sorry Mel. I'll call you if we find the guy. We'll let you have first go at him. And take care of her, she's my life."

Melanie nodded, sagging into the uncomfortable chair as Tony left the room. She sat there contemplating the case, as Ziva slept. She knew that Kate's death by the hand of Ari hit Gibbs' team extremely hard. She never really understood that feeling of hopelessness and complete loss of control over situations until now. It was her that was in charge, the one who was supposed to get hurt before anyone else, but of course this bastard wanted to torture her by killing her team and trying hurt people she loved. She knew that if they caught this guy at all, that she herself would make sure he paid for everything he did. Mel finally understood what Gibbs told her over the phone after Kate died, that you would never forgive yourself if someone on your team died.

When she found out Andrew had died, she felt part of herself ripped out. She had worked with this specific team for over 5 years. The four of them were close, close enough to read each other minds and knew how to push everyone's buttons. The bastard took her family away from her, and now he was aiming at blood. The others knew that Melanie would be out for blood as the others were, but more so now that Sam, an innocent bystander, was involved.

A faint but strong voice interrupted her thoughts. "You here to keep me from getting out of this bed?" Ziva asked, her eyes fluttering open. She then realized that the person sitting in the chair wasn't the person she thought it was. "Oh sorry, I thought you were Tony."

"It's ok, Ziva. I know you weren't expecting to see me when you woke up." Melanie replied, standing up,"How are you feeling?"

"Like shit, but you know explosions tend to do that to people."

Mel allowed a small laugh to escape her throat," Yeah, I know the feeling. I sent the boys to work on the case and figured that I would stay with you."

"My skills are not where they need to be right now," Ziva stretched and winced at the pain in her side. "What did it take to tie me up?"

"Sew up. A few hours and a few dozen stitches, you got lucky Agent David."

"Was Tony ok?"

"Yeah, sprained ankle and a few bumps and bruises, he wanted to stay with you."

"But you made him," she finished.

"I need to have the doctors check me out. I mean they did do some examining, but I know that I need to get on some pre natal care and I just need a few minutes of girl time. I have yet to really enjoy being pregnant."

Ziva eyed Melanie carefully. "There is another reason you stayed behind." She said simply.

The red head shrugged, looking away. This wasn't Stella or Sam, someone she confided in the most. It definitely wasn't Cassie, her Irish hothead who now lay on Sid's cold metal table. It was someone she had heard about from a third party and she had yet to get a read on her. However she figured that maybe this woman would understand her underlying fears.

"I'm afraid. I'm afraid of dying; of losing this child that brought me back to the man I love. The man who no matter what came about waited for me." Melanie replied, as Ziva motioned for her to sit on the edge of her bed. The hormones started to get the best of her and tears started falling. "I'm a strong person, who doesn't show their emotions very often. This case however, it brings out the worst fears in me. I am so afraid of losing more than my team. I'm afraid of losing Don, losing Sam, hell even Tony."

Ziva stayed quiet, listening to every word she said. So Mel continued. "Ok, so I'm afraid that if Don loses me, then he might just lose it too. He has too much going for him to do so. However, losing me is not the same as losing his sister, his blood. But then, now he has a child, something that he thought he would never have with the job he has. I myself would have never seen this coming, pregnant and being hunted. How the hell am I supposed to do this?"

She felt a hand cover hers and squeeze it. "I've never been with child, so I cannot imagine what you are feeling right now. I too have lost members of my team, my friends and it is very difficult to get over the guilt that it should have been you." Ziva said, causing Mel to look at her in the eye.

"Of course you would know. You're Mossad, one of the most deadly intelligence agencies in the world."

"I lost my younger sister to a car bombing in Israel. I had to kill my brother; someone I thought would never betray my family or Israel for someone I barely knew. I had to watch as my childhood friends were killed by some of the worst people out there. You would think that I wouldn't join an organization that would possibly take me away from my father who already lost two of his three children. I did, and every time I look my father in the eye I see fear and pride. I realize that I must live to show my father, that despite him being the Deputy Director of Mossad, that, this is what I wanted to do in my life."

By this time, both women had tears free falling. Mel sniffed as she processed what the Israeli assassin just told her. She knew to an extent what Ziva felt. She herself was trained in counter terrorism measures when she joined NCIS, but so far her job as NCIS agent had never threatened her life the way being in Baltimore Narcotics division did. She, however, never had the horrific experience of having to see family members killed. She just hoped it wouldn't come to that point.

"Ziva, Tony never told me any of that. I never knew." Melanie said, helping Ziva sit up.

"You really expect Agent Dinozzo to spill anything that wasn't about himself or his escapades?"

Mel laughed. "True, all I heard all day long being partners with him is how he got with this girl and that girl. How his college years were, yada yada yada."

Ziva sighed. "He doesn't even know that Ari Ashwari was my brother. He doesn't know that I shot him in the head to save Gibbs. Actually none of them knew. I figured it best to save them the pain of knowing that his partner's brother killed his former partner."

The pregnant NCIS agent nodded. "Tony really doesn't know what my family life was like when I was younger. Don knows, he saved me from it." Mel's eye looked out the window in Ziva's window. "My biological mother was actually a NYPD detective, like Don's father was. Not the same division, but I remember the day two police officers came to my door. I was about 5, and my parents loved me, but my mother's job took up most of her time. I remember these two big, burly police officers knocking on my front door and my father almost collapsing after hearing what they had to say."

"Turns out my mother was killed by a drug addict she was trying to arrest. After we had the funeral, my father started drinking, hitting me constantly. Like he blamed me for her death. My maternal grandfather was rich, so when I needed to get away I always went to his place on the Upper East Side. My father and I lived in Queens so I took subways and walking to get there. One day though, I walked out and decided to see if there was anything out in Queens I could escape too. A few blocks down I saw these two boys about the same age as me playing tagged with a scrawny girl a few years younger. I walked right by them as the younger boy tagged me and said I was it."

Ziva laughed lightly. "And the rest is history between you and Don. Does anyone else know about your family life? Other than Don, I mean."

"Gibbs does. One case we had when we started working had to do with a dead naval officer and the husband was the killer. Before we had the evidence though, we noticed that he started slapping the kid around. I lost it in interrogation and Gibbs had to hold me back. He took me to the side after the arrest and asked me why I reacted in the way. Ever since then, he's been the father figure I never had. Don't get me wrong, Dad, well Don Sr, was great at trying to keep me out of trouble and punishing me when needed. Gibbs was the actual father I imagined."

Ziva nodded in agreement. "I trust Gibbs more than I trust my own father." Mel turned toward Ziva again. "Do you know about Gibbs' first wife and daughter?"

Melanie nodded, remembering Tony telling her about the tragic events that unfolded two years ago when he found out that Gibbs' wife Shannon and daughter Kelly were killed. "Yeah, I do. Tony told me right after the explosion. I never really knew why Gibbs was so taken with me, why I seemed to be his favorite until then. When he had amnesia and couldn't remember much, I knew that I should have gone to see if he remembered me. I called him while he was in Mexico, and we talked. He explained why he left, why he retired."

Ziva rolled her eyes. "So Tony took over and tried to be Gibbs." Mel laughed, remembering the calls she got from Tony when he was promoted to team leader. "The campfires, the jerky comments. But then I was framed and I had to go to the only person I trusted. Gibbs."

Mel nodded, deciding to change the subject. "So what's your thoughts on your budding relationship with Tony?"

Before Ziva could answer, Ziva's damn cell phone rang again. "I swear, every time something important is going to be said or happening, this thing always ruins it." Melanie muttered, reaching for it. "Its better be damn important."

"Ziva's phone, Fischer here." Some kind of mumbo jumbo was heard on the other line. Mel was at her wit's end so she handed Ziva the phone. "Here, you try to figure out what the hell they are saying."

Ziva grabbed it. "McGee, you there? If you are, answer me!"

"Sorry, Ziva. Look we think we have a location on Keating and Lee. Hand the phone to Agent Fischer." Ziva handed the phone to the agitated pregnant woman beside her. "It's McGee. Trust me its important."

She sighed angrily. "What, McGee?"

"Agent Fischer, I think we have a location on Agent Keating and Agent Lee."

"You think?"

"Sorry, we are sure that they are still in the location they were a few minutes ago."

"Ok you are telling me this why?" Mel heard a sigh in the background as someone else took the phone.

"Because we're wondering if you wanted to come along." Tony said, as she heard a "She is not coming!" protest from three people in the background. Mel looked at Ziva, who looked quizzically at her.

"Tony, for once, I'll sit this one out. I've been blown up already and my agents have been killed. All of you go and when you get them, I rest assure I'll come over and interrogate them. Just get them first." Mel said, as many relieved sighs were heard on the other end.

"That's a first, Mel."

"Look Tony, I have another life living inside of me now. I can't risk my life when another is at stake. I don't think its wise for me to go after two rogue agents right now. You take them down, I'll do the interrogation, ok. Plus someone needs to stay here with Ziva and I'm the best one to do so."

"Ok Fischer."

"Tony, guys, be careful. I don't think I could handle anymore people dying right now." Mel said, putting her elbows on her knees.

"We will, Mel. We'll bring all of us back alive. I promise." Tony said, as she heard rustling in the background.

"I'll hold you to that Tony. Don't cause me more pain. Go get them." She said, as her former partner hung up.

"They're going after Lee and Keating aren't they?" Ziva asked, as Mel stood up. She turned around.  
"Yes they are."

"I hope they are careful. Who knows what those two have up their shirt." Ziva said, causing the other to look at her.

"Up their sleeve, Ziva. That's the correct saying. Anyways, I trust them to bring those two back alive, because god dammit I will have their necks if they don't let me have a crack at them." Mel said, sitting back down in the reclining chair.

"They'll come back, all of them. The teams together are more powerful than two rogue agents, Melanie. Just keep the faith that Gibbs will not let anything happen to any of them." Ziva said, as Mel sagged in the chair.

"I don't know if I can have faith anymore. The world I know seems like it's against me. How do I know they'll come back to me now?"

"You can't but you can at least believe that each and every one of them wants to come to you and give you the people you want. You know that deep down inside that they will do everything they can to stay alive." Ziva replied, having Melanie's tear filled eyes turn back to hers. "They will come back."

"I know, Ziva, I know. My fears get the best of me though. I can't help that."

"Overcome them, like you have in the past. Believe in the people you know the best, like Gibbs."

Melanie took a deep breath. "I think I can do that." Ziva smiled.

"See what having faith can do?" the Israeli asked. Mel smiled back.

"You know, Agent David, I think this might be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"Yes, Agent Fischer. I think that it is too." Ziva replied, as Melanie sat back down and gave her new friend a hug. "You know what, Melanie?"

"What?"

"I feel sorry for Tony." Ziva said, as the two looked at each other. As they met each other's eyes, they started laughing uncontrollably.

"So do I. So do I."

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**Gotta love girl talk. Review everyone!**


	12. Are You Really That Stupid?

_**Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family:  
Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.  
~Jane Howard**_

_**Sorry its taken awhile to post here. I've been busy with going between ideas for this story and Other Side Up. Check that one out. It's totally different! Now here is the next chapter!  
**_

**Are you really that stupid?**

Tony, Don and Gibbs sat around Mac's office, as McGee was back in the lab with Abby trying to get a fix on the location of the missing agents. Tony sat there nursing his wounds as Gibbs sat quietly while Don paced fitfully.

"Is there anything we can do?" Don asked, impatiently as Gibbs gave him his favorite stare. "Hey according to you I am not allowed out of your sight. You have Lindsay heading over to the hospital right?"

"Yes he does, when I left CSI Monroe was already there." Tony replied, as Mac entered his office with the rest of his and Gibbs team. Tony noticed a very jumpy McGee and an excited caffeinated Abby.

"What you got Abs?" Gibbs asked, almost immediately.

"What no checking up on me when you think I have something?" Abby asked, jumping up and down.

"Abs, we're not at your lab. You have others around you. I figured best not to scare them. Now tell what you have!"Gibbs replied, sternly.

"Boss, we think we have a location on Agents Lee and Keating." McGee said, causing Gibbs to give McGee his usual glare.

"You think, McGee?"

"Ok, boss. We have a location on the agents. We ran a Trojan horse on the signal Keating left when he traced our cell phone and hacked into his computer. Once the wireless signal stopped bouncing all over the city, I managed, I mean we managed to fixate on the signal."

"Get on it McGee, where are they?"

"Right next to the next Hilton resort going up on 57th. An apartment right next to it actually." McGee replied as the crew started getting their gear ready. "Guys shouldn't we call Ziva and Melanie. Let them know what's going on?"

"Go ahead, McGee be quick. We don't need those two to injure themselves anymore for going after these two." Gibbs said, as the computer genius dialed Ziva's number on Mac's phone. As he explained what going on and then Tony grabbed the phone asking Melanie if she wanted come, Don, Stella and Gibbs shouted "She is not coming!" at him. After he hung up and explained that Mel requested to stay behind but let her interrogate the agents, everyone relaxed.

Don spoke up first. "Are we going at this alone?" he asked. Gibbs and Mac looked at each other and nodded.

"What will happen is that we will not let anyone but this room know about where we think these two agents are. Beware we will not have any NYPD back up or SWAT team. We will be the team going in, capturing and arresting whoever is there." Mac said, as everyone nodded. "Of course, Ducky and Abby will remain here working on the case. Everyone else except for Lindsay will go. Understood?"

Again everyone nodded, while Ducky and Abby exited the room. Gibbs then looked everyone in the room square in the eye. "First things first, we all will get out of this alive. We have to get back and protect Melanie at any cost. When we catch these two idiots, we will let them in a surprise that is a very angry Melanie interrogating them. Secondly, we will take risks but as long as this terrorist is not with them, we probably will not have a fight. Agent Lee is deathly afraid of guns and Keating is not a good shot. We have the advantage."

Mac set down the folder of both agents. "All of you NCIS have a correct description of Agent Michelle Lee, and Agents Gibbs and McGee know exactly what Keating looks like. My team, including Detective Flack will follow Gibbs team in. We all know what to do."

Everyone in the room nodded, as they filed out of the room. Flack was the first to the elevator. His headache was gone and his adrenaline started rushing, making him feel much stronger than he should. Tony wasn't in the best shape either, but Don knew that he was up to the challenge that endangered his former partner. The two friends stood at the back of the elevator with Danny, who was trying to break the ice.

"It's too bad Red isn't here. It would have been an interesting takedown with her there." Danny whispered, calling Mel by his favorite nickname. "But then if Lindsay was pregnant and going into a firefight, I would keep her handcuffed to something and make sure she stayed there. Don't know how you keep the fireball under wraps."

Tony laughed as Don should his head. "Truthfully, I've never been able to keep Red out of trouble. She has a tendency to find it wherever she goes." Don replied, as the team stepped out of the elevator in the parking garage. They all wandered to the SUV's they would be travelling in where Mac and Gibbs opened up the back of them, handing each of them police Kevlar vests. Flack looked inside noticing a couple of shotguns and two sniper rifles.

Flack knew from Tony visiting during his recovery and rehab from the explosion that both of the rifles were called "Kate" and was the kind that killed Caitlin Todd, part of Gibbs team. During that time, he had the help of not only Tony, who spent any weekend he wasn't working with him, but Agent Gibbs too, who over time seemed to take a liking to the native New Yorker. He knew the both Mac and Gibbs used them while they were in the Marines.

"Yo, Mac, where did you score this stuff? Without having Sinclair down your back?" Danny yelled to the vehicle across the way. Gibbs just smiled.

"We have our ways, Detective Messer." The head NCIS agent replied. "Now let's get going!"

The teams piled in the cars, checking their ammo as they got in the car and made sure their badges were visible. Since the two team leaders drove, both vehicles were dead silent. For once, Flack didn't have his own men or the SWAT team behind him, he had his closest friends. What a difference having a pregnant girlfriend loved by all made. Stella was behind him with Hawkes and Danny, and in the other vehicle it was Gibbs, Tony and McGee. To him, it seemed weird to have only one female with them and it being Stella. He knew the Greek kicked some ass and wouldn't take no for an answer.

"We're here." Mac said, putting the vehicle into park. Don shook out of his thoughts and concentrated on the task at hand. "Don, you ok? You sure you're up for this?"

Flack met Mac's eyes. "Yeah Mac, I am. This is not for me, it's for her." Mac nodded in reply, as the team shut their doors. Right next to them was the NCIS team, getting their guns out and clicking the safety off. As they headed toward the elevator, Don and Mac's team did the same. Once they got to the 20th floor, all of team spread out. Tony, Danny, Stella, and Don to the left and Mac, Gibbs, McGee and Hawkes to the right. All of them scanned the hallway looking for possible threats, and cleared it all when they met at the door they wanted.

"Apartment 2015, boss. This is the one where the signal is still coming from." McGee whispered, looking at his iPhone. Gibbs nodded, knocking hardly on the door.

"Agent Lee, this is NCIS. Open up, now." Gibbs basically bellowed, when they heard no answer, he shrugged and nodded to Tony and Don. The two looked at each other, and turned to the door, taking in the adrenaline that came from the possibility of catching at least one of the people who wanted to hurt Melanie. Tony stood back.

"Do it, Flack I still have a sprained ankle." Don sighed, as he kicked open the door. Gibbs and Mac were the first ones in, followed by McGee and Don. Tony stood by the door as Stella and Hawkes went in behind them. Mac and Gibbs cleared the living room, while Don and McGee headed to the bedroom. They stood by the door, as McGee reached for the doorknob. He openly it slowly, as they rushed in, guns raised, only to hear a surprised squeak from the small Asian woman sitting on the bed working on a laptop.

"Hands up, and get off the bed Agent Lee." McGee said, as the petite woman complied, apparently afraid of the two men in front of her. Flack put his gun away, went up to her and patted her down.

"She's clean." He said, looking down at her. "Hands behind your back bitch." Agent Lee complied again as the rest of the team entered the room, guns raised. They lowered their guns as soon as they saw Flack dragging the woman towards the door.

Agent Lee looked at Gibbs, defiantly. "I figured you weren't that stupid." She said, as Flack roughly pushed her. Gibbs motioned him to stop. He did as the older agent took the traitor from him.

"Let me, Don. She's more afraid of me that she is of you." Gibbs said, as Don held his hands up in defense.

"Go right ahead. She'd learn very quickly how mean and menacing I could be." Don said, as Gibbs escorted her out of the apartment. "I'd be afraid, Agent Lee. You've had nothing yet."

"Tony, come with Flack and me. We're heading back to the precinct." Tony nodded, as Gibbs stopped. "Mac you got any evidence in there?"

"Don't worry, Jethro. We've got in covered. We'll be there shortly." Mac yelled back as Stella came out of the apartment. She looked at the two men up and down, chuckled, and looked the handcuffed agent in the eyes.

"I feel sorry for you, Agent Lee. You got yourself in such trouble." Stella said, causing the tiny agent to glare at her. "Oh I'm sorry did I offend you? I did? Well you deserved it. Take her away. I'm going to head to Mercy so I can get Mel and Lindsay."

Gibbs shook his head, as Stella walked away. "You, young lady, are in big trouble." He said, as Don, Tony and him walked toward the elevator. "I believe you are going to regret what you have done."

The three of them pushed the agent in the SUV and drove in New York City traffic back to the precinct. Agent Lee struggled against her handcuffs as Gibbs yanked her out the SUV.

"You don't even have a search warrant, and you're treating me roughly. I could say unjust arrest." Agent Lee said, as the three most important men in Mel's life let her up to the free interrogation room.

"I don't care Agent Lee. You not only betrayed me but the country of the United States. In my eyes, that's unforgivable. And Detective Flack here, it's his girlfriend whose life has been threatened because of your betrayal. I wouldn't be so defiant if I were you." Gibbs said, dragging the former agent into the interrogation room. "Sit. We'll be back."

Flack, Tony and Gibbs walked out, shutting the door. They entered the observation room and looked at the Agent Lee through the glass. The men crossed their arms, debating what to do.

"Ya think Stella has gotten to Mel already and escorting her here?" Don asked, staring at the woman who betrayed everyone.

"Probably not. Boss, you want me to call her?" Tony asked, as Gibbs got out his cell phone.

"Nah I will." He said, dialing Ziva's cell phone. It rang a few times when Melanie answered it.

_"Yeah, Gibbs." _

"Hey we have her. Stella should be there momentarily to escort you back here."

"_Wait just her? Keating wasn't there too?"_ Don could hear the puzzled yet pissed off Mel on the other hand. Gibbs sighed.

"No sign of Keating. Mac's team and McGee are still searching the apartment."

_"Ok boss I trust you. Hey, Stella's here. I will be there shortly. Leave the fun part for me, ok?" _Don laughed as he heard the last part. Gibbs hung up only to have his phone ring again.

"Go ahead McGee. Tell me what you've got."

_"Boss, Keating was here. Detective Taylor and Hawkes are still gathering evidence. But I looked at the laptop on the bed Agent Lee was on and it was definitely the one that they used to track our cell phones. Otherwise no sign of Agent Keating."_

"McGee…"

_"Boss, we're looking ok. I'll let you know when we have any updates." _Gibbs hung up his phone and looked at the other two men.

"So far, no sign of Keating recently. The laptop she was on is the one that was being used to track us. However I think with Keating gone, Agent Lee here has no idea how to use the program. I do think however she knows where to find him." Gibbs said, as Tony and Flack nodded.

"Agent Gibbs, can I at least have the first go at her?" Don asked, getting a smile from Tony.

Gibbs looked Flack straight in the eye. "Only if I can be in there with you."

"You really think I would allow you not to interrogate a former agent of yours? Dinozzo you want a go at her too. I'll let yah." Flack said, as Tony stood there shaking his head. "Have it your way Dinozzo. Stay here and watch the pros."

Don was about to walk out the door when Tony yelled back at him. "Whatever Flack. You know once Mel gets here, that's when it will get interesting."

"Ya know, Dinozzo, I think I have witnessed an angry Melanie Fischer first hand. So no worries, I know." Flack retorted, closing the observation room door. He turned to Gibbs, who just gave him a friendly glare. "You first, Agent Gibbs. She was your agent."

Gibbs shook his head, as he and Flack entered the room that held Agent Lee. Gibbs sat down across from her, as Flack made himself at home on the wall behind her. Gibbs sat there staring intently at the obviously frightened agent.

"Do you think I wouldn't have found out sooner or later Agent Lee?" Gibbs asked, sitting back in the chair.

"I know you're not stupid Agent Gibbs." Lee replied, as Don tried to restrain himself from strangling the bitch.

"No I'm not Lee. That you have right. Where's Agent Keating?" Gibbs asked, meeting Don's eyes. Don started to walk around the table so he could face Lee. She just sat there quietly as Gibbs and Flack stared her down. "I'll ask one more time, Agent Lee. Where is Agent Keating?"

Lee's brown eyes stared back at Gibbs saying nothing. Flack's headache was coming back and he was getting angry. Gibbs slammed his hands down on the metal table. "I want to know who it is you are working with and why the hell you let slip the locations of a very sensitive intelligence team. If I can't, I'm sure Detective Taylor and his team will be able to tell us why."

Agent Lee looked from Gibbs to Flack. "I know who you are. You're Melanie Fischer's childhood sweetheart. She would give up her life for yours." She said, as Gibbs turned to look at Don, who was fighting back the urge to slam the bitch into a wall.

"And how do you know that bit of information?" Don asked, quietly. He knew in the back of his mind that something was wrong. How did this NCIS agent, who never worked with Melanie in her life know about him? That information was never in her or his personnel files. Even the psycho analysis ones, the files that made sure none of them were crazy.

"A little birdie told me." Agent Lee replied, her eyes brazen. Gibbs stood up to let Don stand directly in front of her. Don put his hands down on the table and leaned in towards Michelle Lee.

"Would that little birdie be the someone you're working for?" Flack asked, causing the other woman to shrug. "That information about Mel and I are kept secret. Nothing in our personnel files say anything about it. So how the hell do you know about me?"

Lee kept silent still, her eye glaring at Don. "Fine we'll try another subject. We know that Agent Keating was working with you. Otherwise you would not do well in knowing where we are. Did you or your so called boss tell him to trace our cell phone? Or did you bug any of ours?"

Suddenly the rogue agent's eyes went from defiant to scared. Don knew he had touched a sensitive subject. "Did Agent Keating not want any agents killed?" She nodded slightly. "He didn't want any deaths on his hands, did he? Which means whoever you are leaking information too will kill you if you don't follow orders?"

Gibbs placed his hand on the table too, leaning in. "Did you kill Melanie Fischer's team?" he asked, as Lee leaned back in fear. "We know you were there. It was your gun used to kill both of them. We matched the bullets to the one that was pulled out of Agent Langer."

She remained quiet. Don suddenly realized that something was wrong. He looked around the interrogation room and then back at Agent Lee. He walked toward the door, motioning Gibbs to follow him. Gibbs sighed, and walked with him. Once they exited, Gibbs turned around agitated. "Did Fischer tell you nothing about interrupting interrogations?"

"She might be wearing an ear wig and a mike. She looked terrified to answer, as if this guy could find her and kill her. Something is definitely up. I patted her down, nothing seemed out of place." Don replied, as he heard footsteps behind him. "Hey Mel, do you have any files on this terrorist you've been chasing?"

"Wow, Flack you're good." Lindsay said, as the two women walked up to Gibbs and Don. He shrugged. He knew the NCIS agent long enough to know her footsteps, or lack thereof. Something else Gibbs taught her and she practiced.

"I do, but I need access to a computer." Melanie replied, looking toward the door. "You got anything out of her yet?"

"No, Flack here thinks the reason why she's not spilling is because she has a wire or something that this guy is listening too." Gibbs replied. Mel's eyes widened as if she just comprehended something.

"He's right Jethro. She is wearing some kind of tracing device." Another voice said behind Don said. He turned around to see Mac standing there grimly. "We found traces of some kind of voice activated explosive in the apartment. It is cued to her voice if she says something. We got what we could and left. Bomb squad is there right now, evacuating the building and seeing if they could disarm it."

Don, Gibbs and Mac looked directly at Melanie, who seemed to be pondering something. "Agent Fischer, what's going on? This seems familiar to you?" She nodded, as she looked at each one of them.

"This guy, he's not what I thought he was. He's trying to show me something, tell me something. He's definitely not an Islamic jihad. They wouldn't go through this much trouble. They would have killed me already, not my team." Melanie crossed her arms, shaking her head. "His MO is just not what I thought it was. I know he bombed those Marine troops in Iraq, but he seemed to only target just Marines. No Army or National Guard, just Marines. I've seen this before, I know I have."

Mac turned around to the interrogation room abruptly. Melanie's head shot up quickly and also turned to it. "Mac, what's going on?" Don asked, knowing that somehow the two of them were on the same page. Tony stepped out of the observation room, as Lindsay and Danny, who just arrived, looked at everyone.

"Has anyone heard is Dean Lessing escaped or got released?" Mac asked quietly. Don stiffened immediately, knowing the name of the guy who almost blew him up. Melanie eyes widened, recognizing the name.

"Tony, have McGee and Abby pull up my case files on this bomber. Bring it here. Also have them check the records to see if Lessing was released within the past year." Tony nodded, walking away to go to the lab where his teammates were. "Look, this guy just came on the radar a little over a year ago. He seemed to have ties to Al Qaeda, but something didn't seem right. Before that, I was investigating drug smuggling in and out of Iraq, to Italy then the US."

"Then why target you? You said you did something that pissed him off." Don asked, as the other listened.

"That night I was investigating this bomber. However we got a call from a source that a drug deal was going down, so we went there instead. I did shoot a woman, in the heart. Truthfully, I thought this entire thing was about revenge. Now I get it, he's fixated on something in my life. Someone and in order for him to get to them, they have to go through me." Melanie said, staring at the agent in custody. "She knows something. Something that will bring everything in perspective. She didn't kill my agents, Lessing might have."

"It doesn't fit Melanie. The reason why he put bombs everywhere is because he wanted to be a Marine, wanted to prove a point we weren't ready for something like that happen in the US. Why all of a sudden change his MO?" Mac asked, as Danny and Lindsay silently slipped into the observation room.

"I know, I know. Something changed in his mind. Instead of researching you, he followed me, researched me. He has extensive knowledge of explosives, bombs, and knows blast pattern analysis. He lost his job with the Homeland Security because he went off his medications, and now is fixated on trying to get back to that. I'm the one he thinks will be able to help him." She said, as Gibbs and Don shook their heads. They heard more footsteps only to have McGee stop abruptly before them.

"Boss, turns out Dean Lessing was released a year and a half ago, after receiving an excellent evaluation by his psychiatrist at the mental institution. The report claims the Lessing on his medication proved no threat to any civilians, that he was a model citizen of the mental ward, and made many friends. When he was released, his doctor claimed he was not a threat to anyone." McGee said, as Don started shaking. Dean Lessing was back and probably off his medications.

"This means, he was only in the mental institution for only a year." Mac said, quietly. Melanie placed a soothing hand on Don's back, and starting rubbing it. Just hearing the name of the man who blew him up made him sick to his stomach.

"God I hate psychos." Melanie said, still rubbing his back. "Ok, listen. This is what I'm going to do, I am going to ask Agent Lee to strip all her clothes off to see where this wire is. Once we get it off, I will get any and all information I can from her. Gibbs, Mac and Don will stay will me. Everyone else needs to be working on the bomb that tried to blow us up and my agents. Also, check out the laptop Agent Lee has and have Abby and you try to crack it."

Danny and Lindsay stuck their head out of the observation room. "You two, work with the bomb. I know you two can do it." They nodded as walked off toward the lab. McGee looked at Gibbs.

"What are you waiting for McGee? Do what she says. As of right now, everything that Agent Fischer says goes." Gibbs said, as McGee nodded and walked off too. "You ok with that, Fischer? Being in charge?"

"You're actually giving us the boss position to me?" Melanie asked, surprised. She looked from Mac to Gibbs, who nodded together. "Fine with me. I'm used to being in charge anyhow. I have been for years."

Don laughed, shaking his head. "Great guys. Way to boost her ego. Not that it isn't big as it is right now." He said, as a smack hit him in his chest. "Ow."

"You deserved that." Melanie replied. "Come on, Detective, it's time for us to play bad cop and worse cop."

Don shrugged at the other two, who just shook their heads. "Just don't do anything too stupid." Mac said, as Melanie looked at him innocently.

"You mean, like hurt her. Me never." Don laughed as Gibbs walked into the observation room as Mac followed. Melanie nodded toward the door, and Don opened it for her. The last time they did this was when she was working at the NYC field office and she worked closely with Mac's team on any Marine or Navy homicides. The two of them actually made a good team.

Agent Lee looked straight at the two as they entered again. Her eyes recognized the pretty red head immediately. Melanie stood right by the door as Don sat in front of her. "We need to strip your clothes. We know you're wearing a wire and we have to get it from you. If you don't want to do, Agent Fischer here will be more than willing to do it for you."

Lee looked from Don to Melanie, who in return just stared her down. The agent reluctantly sighed and took off her shirt first, revealing typical governments tap wire. She took off her pants to reveal absolutely nothing. "Might as well take out the ear wig too." Melanie said, stepping forward to take Agent Lee's clothes. "Now don't mind Detective Flack here. He has eyes for only one woman and that's me."

Don sat back in the chair as Lee peeled the wire off her chest, handing it to Melanie, who took it with a glove that was in her pocket from the hospital. She nodded toward the two way mirror. One minute later, Mac was back with evidence bags to hold Lee's clothes and wire. Mel put the clothes in one, and the wire in the other. She then placed one hand on the suspect, sitting her back down in the chair.

"Sit please." Mel said, as Don leaned forward toward Lee. "Now be nice and answer all of Detective Flack's questions. If you don't, I'll see to it that you'll answer to me."

"Why should I answer any of your questions?" Lee asked, as Mel leaned into her ear.

"Because you do not want to get on my bad side. You're already there and you're making it tough for me not to punch your lights out." Mel whispered, gripping the rogue agents shoulder tightly. "Not only did you threaten me but you threatened my family, my blood. You tell me where the hell Samantha Flack and Jason Caiman are and maybe I'll go easy on you. Mind you I'm pregnant and my hormones are raging, so basically anything I do can be blamed on that. Do you understand me?"

Lee eye's widened at the last comment, signaling to Flack that she did not know the person she was targeting had a innocent life inside of her. Mel stepped back to let Flack start the first question, her point obviously taken. "Now tell me who you are working for?" Flack asked, as the half naked woman shivered. She finally sighed realizing she had not won that specific fight.

"A man approached me a year ago, wanting information about NCIS. I valued my job so I said no, especially after working closely with Gibbs team for quite some time. Then I got a mysterious phone call telling me if I didn't follow his direction he would kill me and my family." Don raised an eyebrow, his arms crossed urging the agent to go on.

Melanie interrupted first. "The name Agent Lee. I want the name of the person who is determined to make my life a miserable hell."

Don laughed inwardly, knowing that his girlfriend was short and sweet, no in-between fluff that didn't matter the case. He looked toward the two way mirror knowing exactly where she got the sentiment from. He'd have to thank Gibbs for yet another wonderful trait that had rubbed off on Mel. He swore that she was the woman replica of him. Agent Lee's next word shocked him to the core even though he had heard it before.

"His name is Dean Lessing. The only reason he knows so much about you is because of the secret files I downloaded." Lee said, clearing avoiding either person's eyes. "Agent Fischer has one of the highest security clearances ever. Keating was the one who got past everything, hacking into your personal network to get me the information I needed."

Melanie finally gave in and stood in front of the table, forcing the other to meet her angry blue eyes. "Are you really that stupid thinking that you betray not only your country but a fellow NCIS agent is trying to rid this world of people like you so that children can live somewhat a peaceful life, to save family? Do you really think I of all people, who have been through hell, will believe a load of bullshit like that?"

"Wouldn't you do the same to save your family, Agent Fischer? Would you not try at all costs to save them?" Agent Lee asked, quietly as Mel just stared her down. Don knew that Mel would break laws left and right if it came down to saving him, his family or her teams, but betraying her country and fellow agents, he knew she would never do that no matter what the cost.

"I wouldn't do what you did, killing two people, helping murder two more. You know come to think of it, I would break laws left and right to save who I could. But I would never, NEVER betray my country or my fellow agents." Melanie replied, her fists meeting the table in found of Flack, making the jump quiver beneath the strength of those hands. Lee jumped at the sight, realizing she had said the wrong thing.

"Now what we need to know is where is Dean Lessing at this moment. And if he's going to kill again." Flack asked, as Melanie stood there stoically. He could tell she was close to losing it and if Lee said the wrong thing, everything could take a turn for the worse. It also didn't help the hotheaded woman was pregnant.

Agent Lee looked down at her hands, as if debating whether or not to risk every life there was to tell him and Melanie where exactly this psycho was. "I don't know where he is."

Melanie turned to her abruptly and her blue eyes were on fire. "Bullshit, Michelle. You know where he is. Just tell me. Tell me before more people I care about get hurt, before he kills me." Don knew instantly that deep down inside the love of his life was afraid. The NCIS agent was always the strong one, who had barriers up at every turn but when it came to her family, blood or not, those barriers went down and out came the fear.

"It's too late anyway. Keating betrayed him, he threatened to blow me up if I betrayed him." Lee replied quietly. Melanie leaned down carefully on the table to look her in the eye.

"Tell me where he is. Now." Mel said slowly and through gritted teeth

"I can't or he'll kill all of them. You have to understand I wanted none of this to happen. All I wanted was to save my family and their part of it. He's been holding them for six months now, holding them over my head. I cannot tell you where he is or I compromise everyone's life." Lee replied, her fear obviously getting to her.

"Tell me right now, Agent Lee or I promise that their life won't be the only one in danger!"Melanie snapped, as Mac and Gibbs entered the room grimly. Flack knew they had been watching the interrogation from the room behind the two way mirror, ready to jump in when needed. Lee then looked to Flack for help.

"I told you to answer the questions, Lee. You got yourself into this mess, and trust me she's not going to let it rest until you give her an answer." Flack replied, as Mac and Gibbs stood their quietly just in case anything happened.

"I'm not compromising more lives." Lee replied defiantly. Flack knew that soon Mel would lose her cool and do something not worthy of her badge.

"I advise you answer her Agent Lee. It's not nice to mess with a pregnant Irish hothead and even I have been on that bad side before." Gibbs said, staring down the traitor. Lee remained quiet until either Flack or Melanie broke. It was her agents and her best friend at stake but it was his sister, his blood.

Flack stood up, pushing the table hard almost pushing Lee to floor to protect herself. "That is my sister Lessing has. The man who blew me up has my baby sister, and that man threatened not only the love of my life but my child too. So I don't care that it's your family, we'll find them and save them. Now just tell me where the hell my sister is."

It was the shoving of the metal table that scared Lee into oblivion. Her eyes revealed she finally lost the fight she been trying to win. "They're in an abandoned warehouse near Brooklyn Bridge. Its wired to explode if one of them moves. He threatened to kill your other remaining team member if I didn't tell them your current location. That was the last time I heard from him."

Don looked over at Melanie, who looked like she was going to strangle somebody. Gibbs and Mac nodded to each other, as if knowing what that meant. Then Tony appeared in the doorway, breathless but angry.

"Don't worry about interrogating her. We found Agent Keating and Agent Caiman." Tony said, as Mel's head shot up, her eyes meeting Tony's.

"What do you mean Tony?" she asked, as Don feared the worst. He shot a glare at Lee to remain seated as he slowly wrapped a arm around the flat stomach of his girlfriend, knowing that this news will be a blow to her.

"They were found under the Brooklyn Bridge an hour ago." Tony looked at his boss. "Dead."

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**Now I promise I'll pay more loving attention to both stories. I am going to bed now. Enjoy and Review**


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